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"Epirus, the Epeirote Republic, Didrachm size modern fake, genuine drachm prototypes dated 234-168 BC. "Epirus, the Epeirote Republic, modern fake, genuine drachm prototypes dated 234-168 BC.,
Didrachm size (ø 22 mm / 8,50 g), silver, axes about coin alignment ↑↓ (ca. 160°), edge: 50 % filed, 50 % hammered,
Obv.: A· , laureate head of Zeus Dodonaios right, A· behind, dotted border.
Rev.: AΠEI / PΩTAN , eagle standing right on thunderbolt, all within oak wreath, dotted border.
for prototype cf. BMC p. 89, no. 14 (drachm size 4,5-5,0 g., AI· -monogram behind head on obverse) ; - Dewing 1444 (same) ; Franke, - Epirus 100 (same) ; - SNG Cop. 108ff. ; for a drachm showing similar style cf. http://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=748945 (also a fake?) .
Arminius
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(500a) Roman Republic, 119 BC, M. Furius Philius - Furia 18Roman Republic, 119 BC, M. Furius Philius - Furia 18. Crawford 281/1, Sydenham 529; 19mm, 3.23 grams. aVF, Rome; Obverse: laureate head of Janus, M FORVRI L F around; Reverse: Roma standing left erecting trophy, Galic arms around, PHLI in exergue. Ex Ephesus Numismatics.
Gauis Marius
As a novus homo, or new man, Marius found the rise in the Roman cursus honorum ( "course of honours"-- the sequential order of public offices held by aspiring politicians in the Roman Republic) a daunting challenge. It is certain that he used his old family client contacts and his military relations as a source of support. Among these contacts were the powerful Metelli family, and their early support was to prove to be a disaster for them. Just a few short years after his service as Quaestor, Marius was elected Tribune of the Plebes in 119 BC. In this position so soon after the political turmoil and murder of the Gracchi brothers (Gaius murdered 123 BC), Marius chose to follow the populares path, making a name for himself under similar auspices. As Tribune, he would ensure the animosity of the conservative faction of the Senate, and the Metelli, by passing popular laws forbidding the inspection of ballot boxes. In do doing, he directly opposed the powerful elite, who used ballot inspection as a way to intimidate voters in the citizen assembly elections.
Marius would go on to be elected Consul seven times and figure prominantly in the civil unrest of the early eighties as Lucius Cornelius Sulla's opponent. In 88 BC, Sulla had been elected Consul. There was now a choice before the Senate about which general to send to Asia (a potentially lucrative command): either Marius or Sulla. The Senate chose Sulla, but soon the Assembly appointed Marius. In this unsavory episode of low politics, Marius had been helped by the unscrupulous actions of Publius Sulpicius Rufus, whose debts Marius had promised to erase. Sulla refused to acknowledge the validity of the Assembly's action.
Sulla left Rome and traveled to "his"army waiting in Nola, the army the Senate had asked him to lead to Asia. Sulla urged his legions to defy the Assembly's orders and accept him as their rightful leader. Sulla was successful, and the legions murdered the representatives from the Assembly. Sulla then commanded six legions to march with him opon Rome and institute a civil war.
This was a momentous event, and was unforeseen by Marius, as no Roman army had ever marched upon Rome—it was forbidden by law and ancient tradition.
Sulla was to eventually rule Rome as Dictator. In his book Rubicon, historian Tom Holland argues that Sulla's actions had no lasting negative effect upon the health of the Republic, that Sulla was at heart a Republican. However, once a Roman general has defied Republican tradition, once a Roman general has used his command to combat fellow Romans, once a Roman general has set-up himself as Dictator--it follows that the decision to replicate these decsions (think: Caesar and Rubicon) is that much more easiely taken.
J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.
Cleisthenes
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(500a113) Roman Republic, P. Licinius Nerva, 113-112 B.C.ROMAN REPUBLIC: P. Licinius Nerva. AR denarius (3.93 gm). Rome, ca. 113-112 BC. Helmeted bust of Roma left, holding spear over right shoulder and shield on left arm, crescent above, * before, ROMA behind / P. NERVA, voting scene showing two citizens casting their ballots in the Comitium, one receiving a ballot from an attendant, the other dropping his ballot into a vessel at right. Crawford 292/1. RSC Licinia 7. RCTV 169. Nearly very fine. Ex Freeman and Sear.
Here is a denarius whose reverse device is one that celebrates the privilege and responsibility that is the foundation of a democratic society; it is a forerunner to the L. Cassius Longinus denarius of 63 B.C. Granted, humanity had a long road ahead toward egalitarianism when this coin was struck, but isn't it an interesting testimony to civil liberty's heritage? "The voter on the left (reverse) receives his voting tablet from an election officer. Horizontal lines in the background indicate the barrier separating every voting division from the others. Both voters go across narrow raised walks (pontes); this is intended to ensure that the voter is seen to cast his vote without influence" (Meier, Christian. Caesar: A Biography. Berlin: Severin and Siedler, 1982. Plate 12). This significant coin precedes the Longinus denarius by 50 years.
J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.
Cleisthenes
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(501i) Roman Republic, D. Junius L.f. Silanus, 91 B.C.Silver denarius, Syd 646a, RSC Junia 16, S 225 var, Cr 337/3 var, VF, 3.718g, 18.6mm, 0o, Rome mint, 91 B.C.; obverse head of Roma right in winged helmet, X (control letter) behind; reverse Victory in a biga right holding reins in both hands, V (control numeral) above, D•SILANVS / ROMA in ex; mint luster in recesses. Ex FORVM.
Although the coin itself does not commemorate the event, the date this coin was struck is historically significant.
MARCUS Livius DRUSUS (his father was the colleague of Gaius Gracchus in the tribuneship, 122 B.C.), became tribune of the people in 91 B.C. He was a thoroughgoing conservative, wealthy and generous, and a man of high integrity. With some of the more intelligent members of his party (such as Marcus Scaurus and L. Licinius Crassus the orator) he recognized the need of reform. At that time an agitation was going on for the transfer of the judicial functions from the equites to the senate; Drusus proposed as a compromise a measure which restored to the senate the office of judices, while its numbers were doubled by the admission of 300 equites. Further, a special commission was to be appointed to try and sentence all judices guilty of taking bribes.
The senate was hesitant; and the equites, whose occupation was threatened, offered the most violent opposition. In order, therefore, to catch the popular votes, Drusus proposed the establishment of colonies in Italy and Sicily, and an increased distribution of corn at a reduced rate. By help of these riders the bill was carried.
Drusus now sought a closer alliance with the Italians, promising them the long coveted boon of the Roman franchise. The senate broke out into open opposition. His laws were abrogated as informal, and each party armed its adherents for the civil struggle which was now inevitable. Drusus was stabbed one evening as he was returning home. His assassin was never discovered (http://62.1911encyclopedia.org/D/DR/DRUSUS_MARCUS_LIVIUS.htm).
The ensuing "Social War" (91-88 B.C.) would set the stage for the "Civil Wars" (88-87 & 82-81 B.C.) featuring, notably, Marius & Sulla; two men who would make significant impressions on the mind of a young Julius Caesar. Caesar would cross the Rubicon not thirty years later.
Edited by J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.Cleisthenes
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(502a) Roman Republic, L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi, 90 B.C.Silver denarius, S 235, Calpurnia 11, Crawford 340/1, Syd 663a, VF, rainbow toning, Rome mint, 3.772g, 18.5mm, 180o, 90 B.C. obverse: laureate head of Apollo right, scorpion behind; Reverse naked horseman galloping right holding palm, L PISO FRVGI and control number CXI below; ex-CNA XV 6/5/91, #443. Ex FORVM.
A portion of the following text is a passage taken from the excellent article “The Calpurnii and Roman Family History: An Analysis of the Piso Frugi Coin in the Joel Handshu Collection at the College of Charleston,” by Chance W. Cook:
In the Roman world, particularly prior to the inception of the principate, moneyers were allotted a high degree of latitude to mint their coins as they saw fit. The tres viri monetales, the three men in charge of minting coins, who served one-year terms, often emblazoned their coins with an incredible variety of images and inscriptions reflecting the grandeur, history, and religion of Rome. Yet also prominent are references to personal or familial accomplishments; in this manner coins were also a means by which the tres viri monetales could honor their forbearers. Most obvious from an analysis of the Piso Frugi denarius is the respect and admiration that Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi, who minted the coin, had for his ancestors. For the images he selected for his dies relate directly to the lofty deeds performed by his Calpurnii forbearers in the century prior to his term as moneyer. The Calpurnii were present at many of the watershed events in the late Republic and had long distinguished themselves in serving the state, becoming an influential and well-respected family whose defense of traditional Roman values cannot be doubted.
Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi, who was moneyer in 90 B.C., depicted Apollo on the obverse and the galloping horseman on the reverse, as does his son Gaius. However, all of L. Piso Frugi’s coins have lettering similar to “L-PISO-FRVGI” on the reverse, quite disparate from his son Gaius’ derivations of “C-PISO-L-F-FRV.”
Moreover, C. Piso Frugi coins are noted as possessing “superior workmanship” to those produced by L. Piso Frugi.
The Frugi cognomen, which became hereditary, was first given to L. Calpurnius Piso, consul in 133 B.C., for his integrity and overall moral virtue. Cicero is noted as saying that frugal men possessed the three cardinal Stoic virtues of bravery, justice, and wisdom; indeed in the Thesaurus Linguae Latinae, a synonym of frugalitas is bonus, generically meaning “good” but also implying virtuous behavior. Gary Forsythe notes that Cicero would sometimes invoke L. Calpurnius Piso’s name at the beginning of speeches as “a paragon of moral rectitude” for his audience.
L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi’s inclusion of the laureled head of Apollo, essentially the same obverse die used by his son Gaius (c. 67 B.C.), was due to his family’s important role in the establishment of the Ludi Apollinares, the Games of Apollo, which were first instituted in 212 B.C. at the height of Hannibal’s invasion of Italy during the Second Punic War. By that time, Hannibal had crushed Roman armies at Cannae, seized Tarentum and was invading Campania.
Games had been used throughout Roman history as a means of allaying the fears
of the populace and distracting them from issues at hand; the Ludi Apollinares were no different. Forsythe follows the traditional interpretation that in 211 B.C., when C. Calpurnius Piso was praetor, he became the chief magistrate in Rome while both consuls were absent and the three other praetors were sent on military expeditions against Hannibal.
At this juncture, he put forth a motion in the Senate to make the Ludi Apollinares a yearly event, which was passed; the Ludi Apollinares did indeed become an important festival, eventually spanning eight days in the later Republic. However, this interpretation is debatable; H.H. Scullard suggests that the games were not made permanent until 208 B.C. after a severe plague prompted the Senate to make them a fixture on the calendar. The Senators believed Apollo would serve as a “healing god” for the people of Rome.
Nonetheless, the Calpurnii obviously believed their ancestor had played an integral role in the establishment of the Ludi Apollinares and thus prominently displayed
the head or bust of Apollo on the obverse of the coins they minted.
The meaning of the galloping horseman found on the reverse of the L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi coin is more complicated. It is possible that this is yet another reference to the Ludi Apollinares. Chariot races in the Circus Maximus were a major component of the games, along with animal hunts and theatrical performances.
A more intriguing possibility is that the horseman is a reference to C. Calpurnius Piso, son of the Calpurnius Piso who is said to have founded the Ludi Apollinares. This C. Calpurnius Piso was given a military command in 186 B.C. to quell a revolt in Spain. He was victorious, restoring order to the province and also gaining significant wealth in the process.
Upon his return to Rome in 184, he was granted a triumph by the Senate and eventually erected an arch on the Capitoline Hill celebrating his victory. Of course
the arch prominently displayed the Calpurnius name. Piso, however, was not an infantry commander; he led the cavalry.
The difficulty in accepting C. Calpurnius Piso’s victory in Spain as the impetus for the galloping horseman image is that not all of C. Piso Frugi’s coins depict the horseman or cavalryman carrying the palm, which is a symbol of victory. One is inclined to believe that the victory palm would be prominent in all of the coins minted by C. Piso Frugi (the son of L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi) if it indeed signified the great triumph of C. Calpurnius Piso in 186 B.C. Yet the palm’s appearance is clearly not a direct reference to military feats of C. Piso Frugi’s day. As noted, it is accepted that his coins were minted in 67 B.C.; in that year, the major victory by Roman forces was Pompey’s swift defeat of the pirates throughout the Mediterranean.
Chrestomathy: Annual Review of Undergraduate Research at the College of Charleston. Volume 1, 2002: pp. 1-10© 2002 by the College of Charleston, Charleston SC 29424, USA.All rights to be retained by the author.
http://www.cofc.edu/chrestomathy/vol1/cook.pdf
There are six (debatably seven) prominent Romans who have been known to posterity as Lucius Calpurnius Piso:
Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi: (d. 261 A.D.) a Roman usurper, whose existence is
questionable, based on the unreliable Historia Augusta.
Lucius Calpurnius Piso Licinianus: deputy Roman Emperor, 10 January 69 to15 January
69, appointed by Galba.
Lucius Calpurnius Piso: Consul in 27 A.D.
Lucius Calpurnius Piso: Consul in 1 B.C., augur
Lucius Calpurnius Piso: Consul in 15 B.C., pontifex
Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus: Consul in 58 B.C. (the uncle of Julius Caesar)
Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi: Moneyer in 90 B.C. (our man)
All but one (or two--if you believe in the existence of "Frugi the usurper" ca. 261 A.D.) of these gentlemen lack the Frugi cognomen, indicating they are not from the same direct lineage as our moneyer, though all are Calpurnii.
Calpurnius Piso Frugi's massive issue was intended to support the war against the Marsic Confederation. The type has numerous variations and control marks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucius_Calpurnius_Piso
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/catalog/indexfrm.asp?vpar=55&pos=0
Edited by J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.
Cleisthenes
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(504c) Roman Republic, L. Cassius Longinus, 63 B.C.Silver denarius, Crawford 413/1, RSC I Cassia 10, SRCV I 364, aVF, struck with worn dies, Rome mint, weight 3.867g, maximum diameter 20.3mm, die axis 0o, c. 63 B.C. Obverse: veiled bust of Vesta left, kylix behind, L before; Reverse: LONGIN III V, voter standing left, dropping tablet inscribed V into a cista.
The reverse of this Longinus denarius captures a fascinating moment when a Roman citizen casts his ballot. "The abbreviation III V [ir] indentifies Longinus as one of the three annually appointed mintmasters (officially called tres viri aere argento auro flando feriundo). A citizen is seen casting his vote into the urn. On the ballot is the letter 'U', short for uti rogas, a conventional formula indicating assent to a motion. The picture alludes to the law, requested by an ancestor of the mintmaster, which introduced the secret ballot in most proceedings of the popular court" (Meier, Christian. Caesar, a Biography. Berlin: Severin and Siedler, 1982. Plate 6).
The date that this denarius was struck possesses unique significance for another reason. Marcus Tullius Cicero (politician, philosopher, orator, humanist) was elected consul for the year 63 BC -- the first man elected consul who had no consular ancestors in more than 30 years. A "new man," Cicero was not the descendant of a "patrician" family, nor was his family wealthy (although Cicero married "well"). Cicero literally made himself the man he was by the power of the words he spoke and the way in which he spoke them. A witness to and major player during the decline of the Roman Republic, Cicero was murdered in 43 BC by thugs working for Marc Antony. But Cicero proved impossible to efface.
Cicero's words became part of the bed rock of later Roman education. As Peter Heather notes, every educated young man in the late Roman Empire studied "a small number of literary texts under the guidance of an expert in language and literary interpretation, the grammarian. This occupied the individual for seven or more years from about the age of eight, and concentrated on just four authors: Vergil, Cicero, Sallust and Terence" (Heather, Peter. The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. 17).
Plutarch: Cicero's Death
But in the meantime the assassins were come with a band of soldiers, Herennius, a centurion, and Popillius, a tribune, whom Cicero had formerly defended when prosecuted for the murder of his father. Finding the doors shut, they broke them open, and Cicero not appearing, and those within saying they knew not where he was, it is stated that a youth, who had been educated by Cicero in the liberal arts and sciences, an emancipated slave of his brother Quintus, Philologus by name, informed the tribune that the litter was on its way to the sea through the close and shady walks. The tribune, taking a few with him, ran to the place where he was to come out. And Cicero, perceiving Herennius running in the walks, commanded his servants to set down the litter; and stroking his chin, as he used to do, with his left hand, he looked steadfastly upon his murderers, his person covered with dust, his beard and hair untrimmed, and his face worn with his troubles. So that the greatest part of those that stood by covered their faces whilst Herennius slew him. And thus was he murdered, stretching forth his neck out of the litter, being now in his sixty-fourth year. Herennius cut off his head, and, by Antony's command, his hands also, by which his Philippics were written; for so Cicero styled those orations he wrote against Antony, and so they are called to this day.
When these members of Cicero were brought to Rome, Antony was holding an assembly for the choice of public officers; and when he heard it, and saw them, he cried out, "Now let there be an end of our proscriptions." He commanded his head and hands to be fastened up over the rostra, where the orators spoke; a sight which the Roman people shuddered to behold, and they believed they saw there, not the face of Cicero, but the image of Antony's own soul. And yet amidst these actions he did justice in one thing, by delivering up Philologus to Pomponia, the wife of Quintus; who, having got his body into her power, besides other grievous punishments, made him cut off his own flesh by pieces, and roast and eat it; for so some writers have related. But Tiro, Cicero's emancipated slave, has not so much as mentioned the treachery of Philologus.
Translation by John Dryden: http://intranet.grundel.nl/thinkquest/moord_cicero_plu.html
Edited by J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.Cleisthenes
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0030 - Republic, DidrachmRome mint c. 269-266 BC
No legend, Diademed head of young Hercules right, with club and lion's skin over shoulder
ROMANO, She wolf right, suckling Romulus and Remus
7.29 gr
Ref : RCV # 24, RSC # 8Potator II
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0083 - Republic, Didrachm (Quadrigatus)Rome or other italian mint, c 215-211 BC
Laureate janiform head of Dioscuri
ROMA in relief in linear frame at exergue, Jupiter, holding thunderbolt in right hand and scepter in left, in fast quadriga driven right by Victory.
6,69 gr - 20-21 mm
Ref : RCV #33, RSC # 24Potator II
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0110 - Republic, QuartunciaRome mint, circa 217-215 BC
Head of Roma right, wearing a crested helmet
Prow of galey right, ROMA above
3,41 gr - 15 mm
Ref :RCV # 624
According to RCV, "the quartuncia is the smallest denomination of the Roman bronze coinage, and has been briefly produced during the semilibral weight standard. With the further decline in the weight of the bronze coinage after 215 BC, issue of the experimental quartuncia ceased."Potator II
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0113 - Republic, SextansRome mint, circa 217-215 BC
She-wolf suckling twins, in exergue two pellets.
ROMA in right field. Eagle standing right, holding flower in beak. Behind, two pellets
29 mm, 24.22 gr
Ref : RCV # 609, Sydenham # 95, Crawford # 39/3Potator II
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0129 - Republic, UnciaRome mint, c. 215-212
Head of Roma right wearing attic helmet, pellet behind
ROMA prow of galley right
9.08 gr
Ref : Crawford 41/10Potator II
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013. M. Junius Brutus.Denarius, 54 BC, Rome mint.
Obverse: BRVTVS / Bust of L. Junius Brutus.
Reverse: AHALA / Bust of C. Servilius Ahala.
4.09 gm., 19 mm.
Syd. #907; RSC #Junia 30; Sear #398.
The moneyer of this coin is the same Brutus who killed Julius Caesar. However, this coin was minted about a decade earlier. It portrays two ancestors of Brutus:
1. L. Junius Brutus lead the Romans to expel their king L. Tarquinius Superbus. He was one of the founding fathers of the Roman Republic, and was elected one of the first consuls in 509 BC.
2. C. Cervilius Ahala. In 439 BC, during a food shortage in Rome, Spurius Maelius, the richest patrician, bought as much food as he could and sold it cheaply to the people. The Romans, always fearful of kings, thought he wanted to be king. So an emergency was declared and L. Cincinnatus was proclaimed Dictator. Maelius was ordered to appear before Cincinnatus, but refused. So Ahala, as Magister Equitam, killed him in the Forum. Ahala was tried for this act, but escaped condemnation by voluntary exile. Callimachus
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0149 - Republic, SestertiusRome mint, ca 211-208 BC
Head of Roma right, IIS behind
Dioscuri riding right, two stars above, ROMA at exergue
1.06 gr, 13 mm
Ref : RCV # 46, RSC # 4Potator II
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0168 - Republic, AsAs minted in Rome, circa 211-206 BC
No legend, head of janus
Prow of galley right, ROMA at exergue, I above galley
37.22 gr
Ref RCV # 627Potator II
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0195 - Republic, SextansSextans struck in Rome, circa 211-206 BC
Head of Mercury right, wearing petasus, two pellets above helmet
ROMA, Prow of galley right, surmounted by a victory right
5.11 gr
Ref : RCV #1218Potator II
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02 - China, Republic - 10 Cash coin-
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The Republic of China
1920 (ND) - Ten Cash
(Titles in Chinese, some in English)
obv: Crossed Flags.
Weight: 6.5 Grams
Size: 31 mm
ex Old Pueblo Coin Exchange, Tucson, Arizona. USA.
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*NOTE: Coin next to a modern USA State Quarter-Dollar (25 cents) in this photo for size comparison.
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-rexesq
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0217 - Republic, VictoriatusMinted circa 211-206 BC
Head of Jupiter right
Victory and trophy. ROMA at exergue, linked V and B in field
3.11 gr
Ref : RCV #51Potator II
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028 - Roman republic, L Julius 141 BC - Syd 443, Cr 224/1Obv: Helmeted head of Roma right, XVI behind.
Rev: Dioscuri galloping right, L. IVLI below, ROMA in exe.
Minted in Rome 141 BC.pierre_p77
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029 - Roman republic, P Maenius Antiaticus. denarius - Syd 492. Cr 249/1Obv: helmeted head of Roma right, X behind.
Rev: Victory in quadriga right, P MAE ANT below, ROMA in exe.
Minted in Rome 132 BC.pierre_p77
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06 Nero RIC I 55Nero. 54-68 A.D. Rome Mint. 65-66 A.D. (3.30g, 18.7m, 5h). Obv: [N]ERO CAESAR AVGVS[TVS], laureate head right. Rev: ROMA in ex., Roma, helmeted and dr., seated l. on cuirass, r. holding Victory, l. parazonium by side, r. foot resting on helmet; shields, with greaves behind. RIC I 55 (R).
A worn denarius of Nero, but with an interesting reverse. Roma, deprecated frequently on denarii during the Republic, was as not frequently used during the empire. While not necessarily a scarce type, it seems less ubiquitous than Salas and Jupiter for Nero.Lucas H
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100 RéisBrazil Republic
1889 AD
Obverse: REPÚBLICA DOS ESTADOS UNIDOS DO BRAZIL
Reverse: ORDEM E PROGRESSO 15 DE NOVEMBRO DE 1889Pericles J2
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105. Marcus AureliusMarcus Aurelius
The joint succession may have been motivated by military exigency. During his reign Marcus Aurelius was almost constantly at war with various peoples outside the Empire. Germanic tribes and other peoples launched many raids along the long European border, particularly into Gaul — Germans, in turn, may have been under attack from more warlike tribes farther east. In Asia, a revitalized Parthian Empire renewed its assault. A highly authoritative figure was needed to command the troops, yet the emperor himself could not defend both fronts at the same time. Neither could he simply appoint a general to lead one assault; earlier popular military leaders like Julius Caesar and Vespasian had used the military to overthrow the existing government and install themselves as supreme leaders.
Marcus Aurelius solved the problem by sending Verus to command the legions in the East. He was authoritative enough to command the full loyalty of the troops, but already powerful enough that he had little incentive to overthrow Marcus. The plan succeeded — Verus remained loyal until his death on campaign in 169. This joint emperorship was faintly reminiscent of the political system of the Roman Republic, which functioned according to the principle of collegiality and did not allow a single person to hold supreme power. Joint rule was revived by Diocletian's establishment of the Tetrarchy in the late 3rd century.
Virtus
In Roman mythology, Virtus was the god of bravery and military strength. His Greek equivalent was Arete. The word, "Virtus" is commonly used in mottos of universities and other entities.
Marcus Aurelius, as Caesar, Denarius. 155-156 AD. AVRELIVS CAES ANTON AVG PII F, bare head right / TR POT X COS II, Virtus, helmeted, standing left, holding parazonium & spear. RSC 703. RIC 468ecoli
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128/1. Decia - denarius (206-200 BC)AR Denarius (uncertain mint, 206-200 BC)
O/ Helmeted head of Roma right; X behind head.
R/ The Dioscuri galloping right; shield & carnyx below horses; ROMA in exergue.
4.01g; 20.5mm
Crawford 128/1 (less than 10 obverse dies/less than 12 reverse dies)
- Privately bought from Münzen & Medaillen Basel.
- Ex collection of Elvira Elisa Clain-Stefanelli (1914-2001), former director of the National Numismatic Collection (part of the Smithsonian Institute).
- Naville Numismatics Live Auction 29, lot 479.
* Anonymous (shield & carnyx), Decius?:
This very rare issue has traditionally been attributed to a descendant of a line of three heroes named Publius Decius Mus. The first of that name was Consul in 340 BC; he received the Grass Crown after having saved his army from destruction against the Samnites, then sacrificed himself at the Battle of Vesuvius during his consulship in an act of devotio (exchanging his life against the victory of his army). His son was four times Consul (312, 308, 297 and 295 BC) and similarly sacrificed himself at the Battle of Sentinum in 295 BC against a coalition of Etruscans, Samnites, and Gauls. The third of that name was Consul in 279 BC and fought against Pyrrhus, who successfully thwarted his attempt to sacrifice himself like his ancestors (cf. discussion in Broughton, vol. I, p. 193).
300 years later, Trajan restored several issues of the Republic, including this one, but with the addition of DECIVS MVS on the obverse (RIC 766). Babelon thus assumed that this denarius was minted by the son of the last Publius Decius Mus (Decia 1). In this hypothesis, the shield and Carnyx refers to the second Mus -- the one who fought the Gauls.
However, Crawford contested this view, writing: "The restoration of this issue by Trajan with the added legend DECIVS MVS provides no grounds whatever for supposing that it was originally struck by someone of that name - the family was certainly extinct by this period."
It is still very strange that Trajan picked this rare denarius, from an irregular mint, for restoration. He could have chosen many other anonymous issues of the early Roman coinage, and simply add the name of Decius Mus. It thus shows that the imperial mint had retained some specimens or archives of previous issues up to the 3rd century BC, because due to its rarity, this denarius had already disappeared from circulation by the time of Trajan. A list of the magistrates behind each issue could therefore have been kept as well; Trajan might have selected the moneyers whom he thought were significant for the history of Rome and restored their issue. A Publius Decius Subulo was living in these years (Livy, xliii. 17) and perhaps minted this coin; his name could have been preserved in the archives of the mint, which might have led Trajan to pick his denarius for restoration.Joss
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1409a, Julian II "the Philosopher," February 360 - 26 June 363 A.D.Julian II, A.D. 360-363; RIC 167; VF; 2.7g, 20mm; Constantinople mint; Obverse: DN FL CL IVLIANVS P F AVG, helmeted & cuirassed bust right, holding spear & shield; Reverse: VOT X MVLT XX in four lines within wreath; CONSPB in exergue; Attractive green patina. Ex Nemesis.
De Imperatoribus Romanis,
An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors
Julian the Apostate (360-363 A.D.)
Walter E. Roberts, Emory University
Michael DiMaio, Jr., Salve Regina University
Introduction
The emperor Flavius Claudius Julianus reigned from 360 to 26 June 363, when he was killed fighting against the Persians. Despite his short rule, his emperorship was pivotal in the development of the history of the later Roman empire. This essay is not meant to be a comprehensive look at the various issues central to the reign of Julian and the history of the later empire. Rather, this short work is meant to be a brief history and introduction for the general reader. Julian was the last direct descendent of the Constantinian line to ascend to the purple, and it is one of history's great ironies that he was the last non-Christian emperor. As such, he has been vilified by most Christian sources, beginning with John Chrysostom and Gregory Nazianzus in the later fourth century. This tradition was picked up by the fifth century Eusebian continuators Sozomen, Socrates Scholasticus, and Theodoret and passed on to scholars down through the 20th century. Most contemporary sources, however, paint a much more balanced picture of Julian and his reign. The adoption of Christianity by emperors and society, while still a vital concern, was but one of several issues that concerned Julian.
It is fortunate that extensive writings from Julian himself exist, which help interpret his reign in the light of contemporary evidence. Still extant are some letters, several panegyrics, and a few satires. Other contemporary sources include the soldier Ammianus Marcellinus' history, correspondence between Julian and Libanius of Antioch, several panegyrics, laws from the Theodosian Code, inscriptions, and coinage. These sources show Julian's emphasis on restoration. He saw himself as the restorer of the traditional values of Roman society. Of course much of this was rhetoric, meant to defend Julian against charges that he was a usurper. At the same time this theme of restoration was central to all emperors of the fourth century. Julian thought that he was the one emperor who could regain what was viewed as the lost glory of the Roman empire. To achieve this goal he courted select groups of social elites to get across his message of restoration. This was the way that emperors functioned in the fourth century. By choosing whom to include in the sharing of power, they sought to shape society.
Early Life
Julian was born at Constantinople in 331. His father was Julius Constantius, half-brother of the emperor Constantine through Constantius Chlorus, and his mother was Basilina, Julius' second wife. Julian had two half-brothers via Julius' first marriage. One of these was Gallus, who played a major role in Julian's life. Julian appeared destined for a bright future via his father's connection to the Constantinian house. After many years of tense relations with his three half-brothers, Constantine seemed to have welcomed them into the fold of the imperial family. From 333 to 335, Constantine conferred a series of honors upon his three half-siblings, including appointing Julius Constantius as one of the consuls for 335. Julian's mother was equally distinguished. Ammianus related that she was from a noble family. This is supported by Libanius, who claimed that she was the daughter of Julius Julianus, a Praetorian Prefect under Licinius, who was such a model of administrative virtue that he was pardoned and honored by Constantine.
Despite the fact that his mother died shortly after giving birth to him, Julian experienced an idyllic early childhood. This ended when Constantius II conducted a purge of many of his relatives shortly after Constantine's death in 337, particularly targeting the families of Constantine's half-brothers. ulian and Gallus were spared, probably due to their young age. Julian was put under the care of Mardonius, a Scythian eunuch who had tutored his mother, in 339, and was raised in the Greek philosophical tradition, and probably lived in Nicomedia. Ammianus also supplied the fact that while in Nicomedia, Julian was cared for by the local bishop Eusebius, of whom the future emperor was a distant relation. Julian was educated by some of the most famous names in grammar and rhetoric in the Greek world at that time, including Nicocles and Hecebolius. In 344 Constantius II sent Julian and Gallus to Macellum in Cappadocia, where they remained for six years. In 351, Gallus was made Caesar by Constantius II and Julian was allowed to return to Nicomedia, where he studied under Aedesius, Eusebius, and Chrysanthius, all famed philosophers, and was exposed to the Neo-Platonism that would become such a prominent part of his life. But Julian was most proud of the time he spent studying under Maximus of Ephesus, a noted Neo-Platonic philospher and theurgist. It was Maximus who completed Julian's full-scale conversion to Neo-Platonism. Later, when he was Caesar, Julian told of how he put letters from this philosopher under his pillows so that he would continue to absorb wisdom while he slept, and while campaigning on the Rhine, he sent his speeches to Maximus for approval before letting others hear them. When Gallus was executed in 354 for treason by Constantius II, Julian was summoned to Italy and essentially kept under house arrest at Comum, near Milan, for seven months before Constantius' wife Eusebia convinced the emperor that Julian posed no threat. This allowed Julian to return to Greece and continue his life as a scholar where he studied under the Neo-Platonist Priscus. Julian's life of scholarly pursuit, however, ended abruptly when he was summoned to the imperial court and made Caesar by Constantius II on 6 November 355.
Julian as Caesar
Constantius II realized an essential truth of the empire that had been evident since the time of the Tetrarchy--the empire was too big to be ruled effectively by one man. Julian was pressed into service as Caesar, or subordinate emperor, because an imperial presence was needed in the west, in particular in the Gallic provinces. Julian, due to the emperor's earlier purges, was the only viable candidate of the imperial family left who could act as Caesar. Constantius enjoined Julian with the task of restoring order along the Rhine frontier. A few days after he was made Caesar, Julian was married to Constantius' sister Helena in order to cement the alliance between the two men. On 1 December 355, Julian journeyed north, and in Augusta Taurinorum he learned that Alamannic raiders had destroyed Colonia Agrippina. He then proceeded to Vienne where he spent the winter. At Vienne, he learned that Augustudunum was also under siege, but was being held by a veteran garrison. He made this his first priority, and arrived there on 24 June 356. When he had assured himself that the city was in no immediate danger, he journeyed to Augusta Treverorum via Autessioduram, and from there to Durocortorum where he rendezvoused with his army. Julian had the army stage a series of punitive strikes around the Dieuse region, and then he moved them towards the Argentoratum/Mongontiacum region when word of barbarian incursions reached him.
From there, Julian moved on to Colonia Agrippina, and negotiated a peace with the local barbarian leaders who had assaulted the city. He then wintered at Senonae. He spent the early part of the campaigning season of 357 fighting off besiegers at Senonae, and then conducting operations around Lugdunum and Tres Tabernae. Later that summer, he encountered his watershed moment as a military general. Ammianus went into great detail about Julian's victory over seven rogue Alamannic chieftains near Argentoratum, and Julian himself bragged about it in his later writing. After this battle, the soldiers acclaimed Julian Augustus, but he rejected this title. After mounting a series of follow-up raids into Alamannic territory, he retired to winter quarters at Lutetia, and on the way defeated some Frankish raiders in the Mosa region. Julian considered this campaign one of the major events of his time as Caesar.
Julian began his 358 military campaigns early, hoping to catch the barbarians by surprise. His first target was the Franks in the northern Rhine region. He then proceeded to restore some forts in the Mosa region, but his soldiers threatened to mutiny because they were on short rations and had not been paid their donative since Julian had become Caesar. After he soothed his soldiers, Julian spent the rest of the summer negotiating a peace with various Alamannic leaders in the mid and lower Rhine areas, and retired to winter quarters at Lutetia. In 359, he prepared once again to carry out a series of punitive expeditions against the Alamanni in the Rhine region who were still hostile to the Roman presence. In preparation, the Caesar repopulated seven previously destroyed cities and set them up as supply bases and staging areas. This was done with the help of the people with whom Julian had negotiated a peace the year before. Julian then had a detachment of lightly armed soldiers cross the Rhine near Mogontiacum and conduct a guerilla strike against several chieftains. As a result of these campaigns, Julian was able to negotiate a peace with all but a handful of the Alamannic leaders, and he retired to winter quarters at Lutetia.
Of course, Julian did more than act as a general during his time as Caesar. According to Ammianus, Julian was an able administrator who took steps to correct the injustices of Constantius' appointees. Ammianus related the story of how Julian prevented Florentius, the Praetorian Prefect of Gaul, from raising taxes, and also how Julian actually took over as governor for the province of Belgica Secunda. Hilary, bishop of Poitiers, supported Ammianus' basic assessment of Julian in this regard when he reported that Julian was an able representative of the emperor to the Gallic provincials. There is also epigraphic evidence to support Julian's popularity amongst the provincial elites. An inscription found near Beneventum in Apulia reads:
"To Flavius Claudius Julianus, most noble and sanctified Caesar, from the caring Tocius Maximus, vir clarissimus, for the care of the res publica from Beneventum".
Tocius Maximus, as a vir clarissimus, was at the highest point in the social spectrum and was a leader in his local community. This inscription shows that Julian was successful in establishing a positive image amongst provincial elites while he was Caesar.
Julian Augustus
In early 360, Constantius, driven by jealousy of Julian's success, stripped Julian of many troops and officers, ostensibly because the emperor needed them for his upcoming campaign against the Persians. One of the legions ordered east, the Petulantes, did not want to leave Gaul because the majority of the soldiers in the unit were from this region. As a result they mutinied and hailed Julian as Augustus at Lutetia. Julian refused this acclamation as he had done at Argentoratum earlier, but the soldiers would have none of his denial. They raised him on a shield and adorned him with a neck chain, which had formerly been the possession of the standard-bearer of the Petulantes and symbolized a royal diadem. Julian appeared reluctantly to acquiesce to their wishes, and promised a generous donative. The exact date of his acclamation is unknown, but most scholars put it in February or March. Julian himself supported Ammianus' picture of a jealous Constantius. In his Letter to the Athenians, a document constructed to answer charges that he was a usurper, Julian stated that from the start he, as Caesar, had been meant as a figurehead to the soldiers and provincials. The real power he claimed lay with the generals and officials already present in Gaul. In fact, according to Julian, the generals were charged with watching him as much as the enemy. His account of the actual acclamation closely followed what Ammianus told us, but he stressed even more his reluctance to take power. Julian claimed that he did so only after praying to Zeus for guidance.
Fearing the reaction of Constantius, Julian sent a letter to his fellow emperor justifying the events at Lutetia and trying to arrange a peaceful solution. This letter berated Constantius for forcing the troops in Gaul into an untenable situation. Ammianus stated that Julian's letter blamed Constantius' decision to transfer Gallic legions east as the reason for the soldiers' rebellion. Julian once again asserted that he was an unwilling participant who was only following the desire of the soldiers. In both of these basic accounts Ammianus and Julian are playing upon the theme of restoration. Implicit in their version of Julian's acclamation is the argument that Constantius was unfit to rule. The soldiers were the vehicle of the gods' will. The Letter to the Athenians is full of references to the fact that Julian was assuming the mantle of Augustus at the instigation of the gods. Ammianus summed up this position nicely when he related the story of how, when Julian was agonizing over whether to accept the soldiers' acclamation, he had a dream in which he was visited by the Genius (guardian spirit) of the Roman state. The Genius told Julian that it had often tried to bestow high honors upon Julian but had been rebuffed. Now, the Genius went on to say, was Julian's final chance to take the power that was rightfully his. If the Caesar refused this chance, the Genius would depart forever, and both Julian and the state would rue Julian's rejection. Julian himself wrote a letter to his friend Maximus of Ephesus in November of 361 detailing his thoughts on his proclamation. In this letter, Julian stated that the soldiers proclaimed him Augustus against his will. Julian, however, defended his accession, saying that the gods willed it and that he had treated his enemies with clemency and justice. He went on to say that he led the troops in propitiating the traditional deities, because the gods commanded him to return to the traditional rites, and would reward him if he fulfilled this duty.
During 360 an uneasy peace simmered between the two emperors. Julian spent the 360 campaigning season continuing his efforts to restore order along the Rhine, while Constantius continued operations against the Persians. Julian wintered in Vienne, and celebrated his Quinquennalia. It was at this time that his wife Helena died, and he sent her remains to Rome for a proper burial at his family villa on the Via Nomentana where the body of her sister was entombed. The uneasy peace held through the summer of 361, but Julian concentrated his military operations around harassing the Alamannic chieftain Vadomarius and his allies, who had concluded a peace treaty with Constantius some years earlier. By the end of the summer, Julian decided to put an end to the waiting and gathered his army to march east against Constantius. The empire teetered on the brink of another civil war. Constantius had spent the summer negotiating with the Persians and making preparations for possible military action against his cousin. When he was assured that the Persians would not attack, he summoned his army and sallied forth to meet Julian. As the armies drew inexorably closer to one another, the empire was saved from another bloody civil war when Constantius died unexpectedly of natural causes on 3 November near the town of Mopsucrenae in Cilicia, naming Julian -- the sources say-- as his legitimate successor.
Julian was in Dacia when he learned of his cousin's death. He made his way through Thrace and came to Constantinople on 11 December 361 where Julian honored the emperor with the funeral rites appropriate for a man of his station. Julian immediately set about putting his supporters in positions of power and trimming the imperial bureaucracy, which had become extremely overstaffed during Constantius' reign. Cooks and barbers had increased during the late emperor's reign and Julian expelled them from his court. Ammianus gave a mixed assessment of how the new emperor handled the followers of Constantius. Traditionally, emperors were supposed to show clemency to the supporters of a defeated enemy. Julian, however, gave some men over to death to appease the army. Ammianus used the case of Ursulus, Constantius' comes sacrum largitionum, to illustrate his point. Ursulus had actually tried to acquire money for the Gallic troops when Julian had first been appointed Caesar, but he had also made a disparaging remark about the ineffectiveness of the army after the battle of Amida. The soldiers remembered this, and when Julian became sole Augustus, they demanded Ursulus' head. Julian obliged, much to the disapproval of Ammianus. This seems to be a case of Julian courting the favor of the military leadership, and is indicative of a pattern in which Julian courted the goodwill of various societal elites to legitimize his position as emperor.
Another case in point is the officials who made up the imperial bureaucracy. Many of them were subjected to trial and punishment. To achieve this goal, during the last weeks of December 361 Julian assembled a military tribunal at Chalcedon, empanelling six judges to try the cases. The president of the tribunal was Salutius, just promoted to the rank of Praetorian Prefect; the five other members were Mamertinus, the orator, and four general officers: Jovinus, Agilo, Nevitta, and Arbetio. Relative to the proceedings of the tribunal, Ammianus noted that the judges, " . . . oversaw the cases more vehemently than was right or fair, with the exception of a few . . .." Ammianus' account of Julian's attempt at reform of the imperial bureaucracy is supported by legal evidence from the Theodosian Code. A series of laws sent to Mamertinus, Julian's appointee as Praetorian Prefect in Italy, Illyricum, and Africa, illustrate this point nicely. On 6 June 362, Mamertinus received a law that prohibited provincial governors from bypassing the Vicars when giving their reports to the Prefect. Traditionally, Vicars were given civil authority over a group of provinces, and were in theory meant to serve as a middle step between governors and Prefects. This law suggests that the Vicars were being left out, at least in Illyricum. Julian issued another edict to Mamertinus on 22 February 362 to stop abuse of the public post by governors. According to this law, only Mamertinus could issue post warrants, but the Vicars were given twelve blank warrants to be used as they saw fit, and each governor was given two. Continuing the trend of bureaucratic reform, Julian also imposed penalties on governors who purposefully delayed appeals in court cases they had heard. The emperor also established a new official to weigh solidi used in official government transactions to combat coin clipping.
For Julian, reigning in the abuses of imperial bureaucrats was one step in restoring the prestige of the office of emperor. Because he could not affect all elements of society personally, Julian, like other Neo-Flavian emperors, decided to concentrate on select groups of societal elites as intercessors between himself and the general populace. One of these groups was the imperial bureaucracy. Julian made it very clear that imperial officials were intercessors in a very real sense in a letter to Alypius, Vicar of Britain. In this letter, sent from Gaul sometime before 361, the emperor praises Alypius for his use of "mildness and moderation with courage and force" in his rule of the provincials. Such virtues were characteristic of the emperors, and it was good that Alypius is representing Julian in this way. Julian courted the army because it put him in power. Another group he sought to include in his rule was the traditional Senatorial aristocracy. One of his first appointments as consul was Claudius Mamertinus, a Gallic Senator and rhetorician. Mamertinus' speech in praise of Julian delivered at Constantinople in January of 362 is preserved. In this speech, Claudius presented his consular selection as inaugurating a new golden age and Julian as the restorer of the empire founded by Augustus. The image Mamertinus gave of his own consulate inaugurating a new golden age is not merely formulaic. The comparison of Julian to Augustus has very real, if implicit, relevance to Claudius' situation. Claudius emphasized the imperial period as the true age of renewal. Augustus ushered in a new era with his formation of a partnership between the emperor and the Senate based upon a series of honors and offices bestowed upon the Senate in return for their role as intercessor between emperor and populace. It was this system that Julian was restoring, and the consulate was one concrete example of this bond. To be chosen as a consul by the emperor, who himself had been divinely mandated, was a divine honor. In addition to being named consul, Mamertinus went on to hold several offices under Julian, including the Prefecture of Italy, Illyricum, and Africa. Similarly, inscriptional evidence illustrates a link between municipal elites and Julian during his time as Caesar, something which continued after he became emperor. One concrete example comes from the municipal senate of Aceruntia in Apulia, which established a monument on which Julian is styled as "Repairer of the World."
Julian seems to have given up actual Christian belief before his acclamation as emperor and was a practitioner of more traditional Greco-Roman religious beliefs, in particular, a follower of certain late antique Platonist philosophers who were especially adept at theurgy as was noted earlier. In fact Julian himself spoke of his conversion to Neo-Platonism in a letter to the Alexandrians written in 363. He stated that he had abandoned Christianity when he was twenty years old and been an adherent of the traditional Greco-Roman deities for the twelve years prior to writing this letter.
(For the complete text of this article see: http://www.roman-emperors.org/julian.htm)
Julian’s Persian Campaign
The exact goals Julian had for his ill-fated Persian campaign were never clear. The Sassanid Persians, and before them the Parthians, had been a traditional enemy from the time of the Late Republic, and indeed Constantius had been conducting a war against them before Julian's accession forced the former to forge an uneasy peace. Julian, however, had no concrete reason to reopen hostilities in the east. Socrates Scholasticus attributed Julian's motives to imitation of Alexander the Great, but perhaps the real reason lay in his need to gather the support of the army. Despite his acclamation by the Gallic legions, relations between Julian and the top military officers was uneasy at best. A war against the Persians would have brought prestige and power both to Julian and the army.
Julian set out on his fateful campaign on 5 March 363. Using his trademark strategy of striking quickly and where least expected, he moved his army through Heirapolis and from there speedily across the Euphrates and into the province of Mesopotamia, where he stopped at the town of Batnae. His plan was to eventually return through Armenia and winter in Tarsus. Once in Mesopotamia, Julian was faced with the decision of whether to travel south through the province of Babylonia or cross the Tigris into Assyria, and he eventually decided to move south through Babylonia and turn west into Assyria at a later date. By 27 March, he had the bulk of his army across the Euphrates, and had also arranged a flotilla to guard his supply line along the mighty river. He then left his generals Procopius and Sebastianus to help Arsacius, the king of Armenia and a Roman client, to guard the northern Tigris line. It was also during this time that he received the surrender of many prominent local leaders who had nominally supported the Persians. These men supplied Julian with money and troops for further military action against their former masters. Julian decided to turn south into Babylonia and proceeded along the Euphrates, coming to the fortress of Cercusium at the junction of the Abora and Euphrates Rivers around the first of April, and from there he took his army west to a region called Zaitha near the abandoned town of Dura where they visited the tomb of the emperor Gordian which was in the area. On April 7 he set out from there into the heart of Babylonia and towards Assyria.
Ammianus then stated that Julian and his army crossed into Assyria, which on the face of things appears very confusing. Julian still seems to be operating within the province of Babylonia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The confusion is alleviated when one realizes that,for Ammianus, the region of Assyria encompassed the provinces of Babylonia and Assyria. On their march, Julian's forces took the fortress of Anatha, received the surrender and support of several more local princes, and ravaged the countryside of Assyria between the rivers. As the army continued south, they came across the fortresses Thilutha and Achaiachala, but these places were too well defended and Julian decided to leave them alone. Further south were the cities Diacira and Ozogardana, which the Roman forces sacked and burned. Soon, Julian came to Pirisabora and a brief siege ensued, but the city fell and was also looted and destroyed. It was also at this time that the Roman army met its first systematic resistance from the Persians. As the Romans penetrated further south and west, the local inhabitants began to flood their route. Nevertheless, the Roman forces pressed on and came to Maiozamalcha, a sizable city not far from Ctesiphon. After a short siege, this city too fell to Julian. Inexorably, Julian's forces zeroed in on Ctesiphon, but as they drew closer, the Persian resistance grew fiercer, with guerilla raids whittling at Julian's men and supplies. A sizable force of the army was lost and the emperor himself was almost killed taking a fort a few miles from the target city.
Finally, the army approached Ctesiphon following a canal that linked the Tigris and Euphrates. It soon became apparent after a few preliminary skirmishes that a protracted siege would be necessary to take this important city. Many of his generals, however, thought that pursuing this course of action would be foolish. Julian reluctantly agreed, but became enraged by this failure and ordered his fleet to be burned as he decided to march through the province of Assyria. Julian had planned for his army to live off the land, but the Persians employed a scorched-earth policy. When it became apparent that his army would perish (because his supplies were beginning to dwindle) from starvation and the heat if he continued his campaign, and also in the face of superior numbers of the enemy, Julian ordered a retreat on 16 June. As the Roman army retreated, they were constantly harassed by guerilla strikes. It was during one of these raids that Julian got caught up in the fighting and took a spear to his abdomen. Mortally wounded he was carried to his tent, where, after conferring with some of his officers, he died. The date was 26 June 363.
Conclusion
Thus an ignominious end for a man came about who had hoped to restore the glory of the Roman empire during his reign as emperor. Due to his intense hatred of Christianity, the opinion of posterity has not been kind to Julian. The contemporary opinion, however, was overall positive. The evidence shows that Julian was a complex ruler with a definite agenda to use traditional social institutions in order to revive what he saw as a collapsing empire. In the final assessment, he was not so different from any of the other emperors of the fourth century. He was a man grasping desperately to hang on to a Greco-Roman conception of leadership that was undergoing a subtle yet profound change.
Copyright (C) 2002, Walter E. Roberts and Michael DiMaio, Jr. Used by permission.
In reality, Julian worked to promote culture and philosophy in any manifestation. He tried to reduce taxes and the public debts of municipalities; he augmented administrative decentralisation; he promoted a campaign of austerity to reduce public expenditure (setting himself as the example). He reformed the postal service and eliminated the powerful secret police.
by Federico Morando; JULIAN II, The Apostate, See the Julian II Page on NumisWiki
Flavius Claudius Iulianus was born in 331 or maybe 332 A.D. in Constantinople. He ruled the Western Empire as Caesar from 355 to 360 and was hailed Augustus by his legions in Lutetia (Paris) in 360. Julian was a gifted administrator and military strategist. Famed as the last pagan emperor, his reinstatement of the pagan religion earned him the moniker "the Apostate." As evidenced by his brilliant writing, some of which has survived to the present day, the title "the Philosopher" may have been more appropriate. He died from wounds suffered during the Persian campaign of 363 A.D. Joseph Sermarini, FORVM.
Edited by J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.
Cleisthenes
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200/2. Pinaria - as (155 BC)AE As (Rome, 155 BC)
O/ Laureate head of Janus; I above.
R/ Prow right; NAT above; I before; ROMA below.
26.59g; 33mm
Crawford 200/2 (13 specimens in Paris)
* Pinarius Natta:
This moneyer came from the old patrician gens Pinaria (Cicero, De Divinatione, ii. 21). Despite its ancestry, this gens produced very few noteworthy members, although some of them are recorded until the empire.
The cognomen Natta is old; the first known Pinarius to bear it was Lucius Pinarius Natta, Magister Equitum in 363, and Praetor in 349 BC. Then, nobody else of that name is recorded until our moneyer, and his probable brother (RRC 208, 150 BC), who are both completely unknown apart from their coins. Finally, the last Natta of the Republic was a Pontifex in 56, brother-in-law to Clodius Pulcher, the famous Tribune (Cicero, Pro Domo, 118). It seems that the Nattae had lost their political influence early, but retained some religious duties until the end of the Republic, as Cicero says that they learnt "their sacred ceremonies from Hercules himself" (Pro Domo, 134).
The Pinarii indeed claimed to descend from a mythical Pinarius, who had welcomed Hercules with a banquet when he came to Latium (Livy, i. 7). This myth was so deeply stuck in the Roman mythology that it was still used by Caracalla on an unique aureus (leu 93, lot 68).Joss
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217/1 C. Terentius Lucanus AR. Denarius.Terentius Lucanus AR Denarius. 147 BC. Obverse: Head of Roma right, small Victory behind. Reverse: The Dioscuri right, C. TER LVC below horses, ROMA in exergue. 3.9 g., 20 mm, RSC Terentia 10, Craw 217/1.Lucas H
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241/1 M. Marcius Mn. f. AR DenariusM. Marcius Mn. f. AR Denarius. 134 B.C. Obverse: Head of Roma right, modius behind. Reverse: Victory in biga right, M MAR C/ RO MA below divided by two ears of corn. 3.6 g, 18 mm, Craw 241/1, RSC Marcia 8.Lucas H
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317/3b L. Appuleius Saturninus. Roman Republic. L. Appuleius Saturninus. 104 B.C. AR Denarius. Rome Mint. SRCV I 193, Crawford 317/3b. 18.4mm, 3.32 g. Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma left. Reverse: Saturn in a quadriga right, K below, L SATVRN in exergue. Ex Forvm.Lucas H
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319/1 Marcus Minucius Thermus M FMarcus Minucius Thermus M. F. AR Denarius. Rome mint. 103 B.C. 3.9 g, 19.5 mm. Obv: Helmeted head of Mars left, banker's mark under chin. Rev: Q THERM M F below, Roman soldier protecting fallen comrade from attacking barbarian soldier, both swords raised. Crawford 319/1. RCV 197. RSC Minucia 19. Lucas H
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323/1. Julia - denarius (101 BC)AR Denarius (Rome, 101 BC)
O/ Helmeted head of Roma right; corn-ear behind.
R/ Victory in biga right, holding reins in both hands; L IVLI below.
3.84g; 19mm
Crawford 323/1 (47 obverse dies/59 reverse dies)
* Lucius Julius:
Although our moneyer belonged to the very famous gens Julia, his life is completely unknown. The Julii had been among the important patrician gentes of the early Republic, but fell in obscurity in the fourth century. In the second century, a new branch emerged, the Julii Caesares, but Crawford notes that our moneyer cannot be a Caesar because he did not use this cognomen and his coins lack a reference to Venus (cf. RRC 258 and 320).
The corn ear on the obverse refers to grain distributions, which often featured on Republican coins (RRC 242, 243, 245, 260, 261, 306, 330).Joss
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333/1 C. Egnatuleius quinariusC. Egnatuleius AR quinarius. Rome mint. 97 B.C. (1.6 g., 16 m). Obv: C EGNATVLEI C F Q, laureate head of Apollo right. Rev: Q in field, Victory left, inscribing shield on trophy. Crawford 333/1. RCV 213. Lucas H
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337/3 D. Silanus AR. Denarius.D. Silanus L. f. AR Denarius. 91 B.C. Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma right, control mark behind. Reverse: Victory in biga right, D. SILVANVS L F/ ROMA in exergue. 3.7g, 17 mm, Syd. 646, Cr337/3, RSC Junia 15.Lucas H
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463/1b Mn. Cordius RufusMn. Cordius Rufus. 46 B.C. AR Denarius. Rome Mint. SRCV I 440, Sydenham 976c. 19.2mm, 3.85 g., Obverse: RVFVS III-VIR, Conjoined heads of the Dioscuri r., wearing pilei surmounted by stars. Reverse: MN-CORDIVS (MN in monogram) on right, Venus Verticordia standing left, scales in right, transverse scepter in left, cupid on her left shoulder. Ex Forvm.Lucas H
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Aes rude, SRCV 505Roman Republic, 5th - 4th century BC
Aes rude, length 32.5mm, 14.23g
ref. SRCV I, 505; Thurlow-Vecchi pl. 2
From Forum Ancient Coins, thanks!
Aes Rude is the earliest type of money used by the population of central Italy. They are actually irtregular pieces of bronze with no marks or designs. More advanced types were used later: Aes Signatum or Aes Grave, and in the end, normal struck coins (FAC). Jochen
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AnonymousAnonymous. After 211 BC. Æ Semis (23mm, 9.69 g, 7h). Uncertain mint. Laureate head of Saturn right; S behind / Prow of galley right; S above. Crawford 56/3; Sydenham 143a. VF, green patina, minor roughness.
Ex-CNG 219 lot 390 62/100
The semis (literally meaning half) was a small Roman bronze coin that was valued at half an as. During the Roman Republic, the semis was distinguished by an 'S' (indicating semis) or 6 dots (indicating a theoretical weight of 6 unciae). Some of the coins featured a bust of Saturn on the obverse, and the prow of a ship on the reverse.
Initially a cast coin, like the rest of Roman Republican bronzes, it began to be struck from shortly before the Second Punic War (218-204 BC). The coin was issued infrequently during the Roman Empire, and ceased to be issued by the time of Hadrian (117-138 AD).ecoli
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Anonymous Bronze double litra; Female head r./ Lion walking r.Roman Republic, 275 - 270 B.C. Bronze double litra, Crawford 16/1a, Sydenham 5, BMCRR Romano-Campanian 23; SRCV I 590, South Italy mint, 7.580g, 20.7mm, 90o, obverse diademed female head right; reverse , lion walking right, head facing, broken spear in mouth and resting on forepaw, ROMANO in ex; scarce. ex FORVMPodiceps
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Anonymous Semuncia Roman Republic, anonymous, semilibral standard, 217-215 BC.,
Æ Semuncia ( ca. 20 mm / ca. 5-6 g),
Obv.: Head of Mercury r., wearing winged petasus.
Rev.: ROMA , above prora r.
Crawford 38/7 ; Sydenham 87 ; BMC 129 .
Tanit
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Anonymous, AE Uncia (after 217 B.C.), Rome, Republic AE-25, Crawford 38-6, Prow of galley right, #1Anonymous, AE Uncia (after 217 B.C.), Rome, Republic AE-25, Crawford 38-6, Prow of galley right, #1
avers: Helmeted head of Roma left, one pellet (mark of value) behind the neck.
reverse: ROMA, Prow of galley right, one pellet (mark of value) below.
exergue: ROMA//•, diameter: 24,5-26,0mm, weight: 12,81g, axis: 0h,
mint: Rome, Sicily, date: after 217-215 B.C., ref: Crawford 38-6, Syd 86, BMC 88,
Q-001quadrans
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Anonymous, Victoriatus, Crawford 44/1Roman Republic, anonymous, 211-206 BC
AR - Victoriatus, 3.39g, 18.46mm, 225°
obv. Laureate head of Juoiter r.
rev. Victoria stg. r., holding palm branch over l. shoulder and crowning with raised r. hand tropaeum with wreath
ref. Crawford 44/1; BMC 296; Sear RCV 49
F+, lightly toned, a bit excentric
Jochen
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Augustus - [RIC 86a, BMC 41, CBN 1132, Cohen 19]Silver denarius, 3.13g, 18.44mm, 90 degree, Colonia Patricia mint, 19 B.C.
Obv. - CAESAR AVGVSTVS, bare head right
Rev. - SIGNIS RECEPTIS, Aquila on left and standard on right flanking S P Q R arranged around shield inscribed CL V
A superb piece with a particularly beautiful portrait and an attractive tone.
This famous and historically important denarius of Augustus commemorates the reconquest of the legionary eagles from the Parthians. These signa where lost, when Crassus was defeated at the battle of Carrhae and their return back to Rome was one of the greatest diplomatic successes Augustus had.
The CL V on the reverse of this issue represents the clipeus virtutis, which was - according to the Res Gestae Divi Augusti, the funerary inscription giving the achievements of Augustus - a golden shield displayed in the Curia Iulia that was given to Augustus by the Senate and the Roman people (Senatus PopulusQue Romanus) in commemoration of his virtue, piety, justice and clemency. Even though it seems to be obvious that Augustus must have been awarded the shield right after he achieved absolute power and declared the restoration of the Republic, Sydenham suggests "that there is no decisive evidence as to the exact date at which the golden shield was conferred, but the coins on which it is represented are of later date than the year BC 27". When, in 19 BC, the Parthians returned the standards they had captured from Crassus in 53, there would have been an excellent opportunity to once again recall Augustus' pietas, one of the virtues recorded on the clipeus.
___________
Purchased from VCoins seller Ancient Artifacts & Treasures, Inc. at the 2013 BRNA Dalton, GA coin show
Sold 25Apr2015 to Lucas Harsh Collectionrenegade3220
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Battle of Thapsus - Cato the Younger (47-46 BC)The Pompeians. M. Porcius Cato. Spring 47- Spring 46 BC. AR Denarius. Utica mint.
Obv: Draped bust right of Roma, hair tied with fillet; ROMA behind
Rev: Victory seated right, holding palm frond and wreath.
Marcus Porcius Cato, also known as Cato the Younger, was a defender of the Roman Republic, he forcefully opposed Julius Caesar and was known as the highly moral, incorruptible, inflexible supporter of the Optimates. He was the great-grandson of Cato the Elder——a prominent figure in Rome during the Second Punic War, who used to end his speech with the words “Carthago delenda est”(Carthage must be destroyed). When Pompey was defeated by Caesar at the Battle of Pharsalus, Cato fled to North Africa with Pompey, after whose assassination he supported Metellus Pius Scipio wresting the chief command of Pompey’s forces. On the news of the defeat of Scipio at the Battle of Thapsusus, Cato committed suicide. Caesar was upset by this and was reported by Plutarch to have said:
"Cato, I grudge you your death, as you would have grudged me the preservation of your life."YuenTsin C
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Battle of Thapsus - P. Licinius Crassus (47-46 BC)Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio and P. Licinius Crassus, 47-46 BC. AR Denarius. North Africa.
Obv: Q·METEL· PIVS – SCIPIO·IMP Lion-headed Genius Terrae Africae standing facing, holding ankh in her right hand; to left and right of her head, G.T. - A.
Rev: P·CRASSVS·IVN – LEG PRO·PR Victory standing to left, holding caduceus and shield.
This coin has aroused great interest among numismatists, especially the lioness-headed goddess depicted on the obverse, numismatists have two different views about her identiy, one of which believes that she is Sekhmet, the lioness goddess of war in ancient Egyptian mythology, and that in her right hand is 'ankh', the symbol of life in Egyptian culture; while the other view, which arouses in recent years, believes that she was the Carthaginian goddess Tanit, with 'symbol of Tanit' in her right hand. Considering the coin was minted near Thapsus in North Africa, which was the formal land of Carthage Republic, the second view makes more sense. In fact Tanit was still venerated in North Africa after the destruction of Carthage, and was sometimes depicted with a lion's head to express her warrior quality.
Either way, the coinage shows a dramatic break with Roman Republican tradition, no local or city goddess had previously been portrayed on the obverse of Roman coinage other than Roma herself, and certainly never a foreign one, not to mention an enemy one. In this case it was made all the more objectionable by either being or holding the symbol of Tanit - a god whose people had slain hundreds of thousands of Roman soldiers and nearly vanquished Rome entirely. Scipio’s coinage might have been designed to curry favour with the populace of North Africa, Caesar must not have been able to believe his luck, as nothing could better demonstrate to the rank and file the justness of his military actions than the thoroughly un-Roman depths to which Scipio had lowered himself.YuenTsin C
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C TITINI XVI - Denarius, Crawford 226/1bDenomination: Denarius
Era: c. 141 BC
Metal: AR
Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma r. with peaked visor; “XVI” behind; Border of dots
Reverse: Victory in biga right, holding whip in right hand and reins in left; below, C TITINI; in linear frame, ROMA.
Mint: Rome
Weight: 3.93 gm.
Reference: Crawford 226/1b
Provenance: Astarte XX, Lot 65; 30-Oct-2009.
Comments:
This is the scarce elegant style version of this otherwise common issue. In his introduction to RRC, Crawford says:
“…with the issue of C. Titinius, however,
a new style appears, with a rounded ornate head of Roma decorated by a necklace
of pendants instead of a necklace of beads. This new style reappears intermittently,
in the issues of M. Aurelius Cota (no. 229), M. Baebius Tampilus (no. 236) and C.
Serveilius M.f. (no. 239); it also influences what may be called the old style, so that the heads become broader while retaining basically the same features. The original
version of this style appears for the last time in the issues of C. Valerius Flaccus
(no. 228) and M. Aurelius Cota (no. 229)”
I have never seen an example of this style for C. Valerius Flaccus and Crawford does not call it out in his catalog, though he does for M. Aurelius Cota.
The reverse is slightly off-center, obscuring the far horse head so it isn’t complete. Otherwise the coin is GEF and among the finest dies of this engraver.
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C. Antestius - Antestia-1aRoman Republic, AR Denarius (3.26 gm), C.ANTESTI, 146 BC, Rome Mint, Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma looking to the right, before X, C.AESTI behind, border of dots. Reverse: Dioscuri going right, puppy below looking upwards with one forefoot raised, ROMA in exergue. Crawford 219/1D, Sydenham 411, Antestia-1a, RCV 95/1Bud Stewart
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C. Licinius Macer, Apollo-Vejovis * Minerva, Roman Republic, moneyer, AR Denarius Serratus"Rome is a state on the move, and growing stronger every day."
Obv: Diademed bust of Apollo-Vejovis, left; viewed from behind, brandishing thunderbolt, cloak over left shoulder.
No Legend.
Rev: Minerva driving a quadriga right, holding spear and shield. No Legend.
Exergue: C LICINIVS L[F] MACER
Mint: Rome
Struck: 84 BC.
Size: 21.4 mm.
Weight: 3.89 grams
Die axis: 180 degs.
Condition: Lovely, bright luster; minimal tarnish.
Refs:*
M. Crawford Vol. I, p. 370, 354/1, Vol. II, Pl. XLVI, 17
D. Sear I, p. 123, 274
Licinia 16
Sydenham, 732
RSC 16
Tiathena
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C. Marius C.f. Capito - Maria-9ROMAN REPUBLIC, C. Marius C.f. Capito. 81 B.C. AR Serrate Denarius (3.86 g, 19.5 mm). CAPIT • XXXXI behind draped bust of Ceres right, wreathed in corn, symbol below chin. / Plowman steering yoke of oxen left, XXXXI above; C • MARCI • C • F / SC in ex. Crawford 378/1c; Sydenham 744b; RSC Maria 9; RCV 300Bud Stewart
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C. VALERIUS FLACCUS XVI - Denarius, RRC 228/1Denomination: Denarius
Era: c. 140 BC
Metal: AR
Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma R; Behind, XVI downward. Border of dots
Reverse: Victory in biga r., Holding reins in l. hand and whip in r. hand; above FLAC; below monogram of C. VAL.C.F. Line border
Mint: Rome
Weight: 4.03 gm.
Reference: RRC 128/1
Provenance: Aureo & Calico Alba Longa sale, November 7, 2018, Lot 710; Ex. NFA XXVII, Dec 4-5, 1991, Lot 343.
Sear plate coin for this type in Roman Coins and their Values. This issue is one of the five issues listed in RRC with the mark of value XVI instead of X, signaling the re-tariffing of the denarius. Beautiful toning, well centered and Superb EF.
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C.Mamilius C. f. Limetanus & Argos + UlyssesRome, Republic, Denarius serratus, with letter M. C.Mamilius C. f. Limetanus, 82 BC. Dr. bust of Mercury right earing winged petasus, caduceus over shoulder, control letter behind. Rev: Ulysses walking right holding staff, his right hand extended toward Argos the dog, C MAMIL on left, LIMETAN (TA in monogram) on right. CRR 741. Sear RCV I: 282, RSC Mamilia 6, with countermarkPodiceps
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CALABRIA, TarentumTaranto was founded in 706 BC by Dorian immigrants as the only Spartan colony, and its origin is peculiar: the founders were Partheniae, sons of unmarried Spartan women and perioeci (free men, but not citizens of Sparta); these unions were decreed by the Spartans to increase the number of soldiers (only the citizens of Sparta could become soldiers) during the bloody Messenian Wars, but later they were nullified, and the sons were forced to leave. According to the legend Phalanthus, the Parthenian leader, went to Delphi to consult the oracle and received the puzzling answer that he should found a city where rain fell from a clear sky. After all attempts to capture a suitable place to found a colony failed, he became despondent, convinced that the oracle had told him something that was impossible, and was consoled by his wife. She laid his head in her lap and herself became disconsolate. When Phalanthus felt her tears splash onto his forehead he at last grasped the meaning of the oracle, for his wife's name meant clear sky. The harbour of Taranto in Apulia was nearby and he decided this must be the new home for the exiles. The Partheniae arrived and founded the city, naming it Taras after the son of the Greek sea god, Poseidon, and the local nymph Satyrion. A variation says Taras was founded in 707 BC by some Spartans, who, the sons of free women and enslaved fathers, were born during the Messenian War. According to other sources, Heracles founded the city. Another tradition indicates Taras himself as the founder of the city; the symbol of the Greek city (as well as of the modern city) is Taras riding a dolphin. Taranto increased its power, becoming a commercial power and a sovereign city of Magna Graecia, ruling over the Greek colonies in southern Italy.
In its beginning, Taranto was a monarchy, probably modelled on the one ruling over Sparta; according to Herodotus (iii 136), around 492 BC king Aristophilides ruled over the city. The expansion of Taranto was limited to the coast because of the resistance of the populations of inner Apulia. In 472 BC, Taranto signed an alliance with Rhegion, to counter the Messapii, Peuceti, and Lucanians (see Iapygian-Tarentine Wars), but the joint armies of the Tarentines and Rhegines were defeated near Kailìa (modern Ceglie), in what Herodotus claims to be the greatest slaughter of Greeks in his knowledge, with 3,000 Reggians and uncountable Tarentines killed. In 466 BC, Taranto was again defeated by the Iapyges; according to Aristotle, who praises its government, there were so many aristocrats killed that the democratic party was able to get the power, to remove the monarchy, inaugurate a democracy, and expel the Pythagoreans. Like Sparta, Tarentum was an aristocratic republic, but became democratic when the ancient nobility dwindled.
However, the rise of the democratic party did not weaken the bonds of Taranto and her mother-city Sparta. In fact, Taranto supported the Peloponnesian side against Athens in the Peloponnesian War, refused anchorage and water to Athens in 415 BC, and even sent ships to help the Peloponnesians, after the Athenian disaster in Sicily. On the other side, Athens supported the Messapians, in order to counter Taranto's power.
In 432 BC, after several years of war, Taranto signed a peace treaty with the Greek colony of Thurii; both cities contributed to the foundation of the colony of Heraclea, which rapidly fell under Taranto's control. In 367 BC Carthage and the Etruscans signed a pact to counter Taranto's power in southern Italy.
Under the rule of its greatest statesman, strategist and army commander-in-chief, the philosopher and mathematician Archytas, Taranto reached its peak power and wealth; it was the most important city of the Magna Graecia, the main commercial port of southern Italy, it produced and exported goods to and from motherland Greece and it had the biggest army and the largest fleet in southern Italy. However, with the death of Archytas in 347 BC, the city started a slow, but ineluctable decline; the first sign of the city's decreased power was its inability to field an army, since the Tarentines preferred to use their large wealth to hire mercenaries, rather than leave their lucrative trades.
In 343 BC Taranto appealed for aid against the barbarians to its mother city Sparta, in the face of aggression by the Brutian League. In 342 BC, Archidamus III, king of Sparta, arrived in Italy with an army and a fleet to fight the Lucanians and their allies. In 338 BC, during the Battle of Manduria, the Spartan and Tarentine armies were defeated in front of the walls of Manduria (nowadays in province of Taranto), and Archidamus was killed.
In 333 BC, still troubled by their Italic neighbours, the Tarentines called the Epirotic king Alexander Molossus to fight the Bruttii, Samnites, and Lucanians, but he was later (331 BC) defeated and killed in the battle of Pandosia (near Cosenza). In 320 BC, a peace treaty was signed between Taranto and the Samnites. In 304 BC, Taranto was attacked by the Lucanians and asked for the help of Agathocles tyrant of Syracuse, king of Sicily. Agathocles arrived in southern Italy and took control of Bruttium (present-day Calabria), but was later called back to Syracuse. In 303 BC-302 BC Cleonymus of Sparta established an alliance with Taranto against the Lucanians, and fought against them.
Arnold J. Toynbee, a classical scholar who taught at Oxford and other prestigious English universities and who did original and definitive work on Sparta (e.g. The Journal of Hellenic Studies, vol. xxxiii 1913 p. 246-275) seemed to have some doubts about Tarentum (Taranto) being of Spartan origin.
In his book The Study of History vol. iii p. 52 he wrote: "...Tarentum, which claimed a Spartan origin; but, even if this claim was in accordance with historical fact..." The tentative phrasing seems to imply that the evidence is neither conclusive or even establishes a high degree of probability of the truth that Tarentum (Taranto) was a Spartan colony.
CALABRIA, Tarentum. Circa 302-281 BC. AR Drachm (17mm, 2.91 gm). Helmeted head of Athena right, helmet decorated with Skylla hurling a stone / Owl standing right head facing, on olive branch; Vlasto 1058; SNG ANS 1312; HN Italy 1015. VF.
Ex-Cng eAuction 103 Lot 2 190/150ecoli
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Carmo (Seville) Hispania Ulterior Early 1st Century BC Bronze As Bronze as, Villaronga 24, SNG BM Spain 1588 ff., Burgos 459, F, 16.2g, 25mm,
Carmo (Seville) mint, male head right; reverse CARMO, legend between two heads of grain ; scarce!!!
Hispania is the Latin term given to the Iberian peninsula. Hispania Ulterior (Further Hispania) was a region of Hispania during the Roman Republic, roughly located in Baetica and in the Guadalquivir valley of modern Spain and extending to all of Lusitania (modern Portugal, Extremadura and a small part of Salamanca province) and Gallaecia (modern Northern Portugal and Galicia). Its capital was Corduba.Antonivs Protti
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CHINA - Republic, Kwangtung ProvinceCHINA - Republic, Kwangtung Province - AR 20 cents, 1920. Reference: Y-423.dpaul7
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Claudius I: Augustus 41-54 ADClaudius I AR Denarius, 50-51 AD
Denomination: AR Denarius
Year: 50-51 AD
Bust: Laureate Head Right
Obverse: TI CLAVD CAESAR AVG PM TR P X IMP PP
Reverse: No Legend
Type: Oak Wreath, SPQR / PP / OB CS within
Mint: Rome
Weight & Measures: 3.9g
RIC: RIC 1, 54
Provenance: Original Skin Coins (December 2023), Ex Kuenker
Translation: OB: Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Pontifex Maximus Tribunicia Potestate X Emperor Pater Pontifex. Tiberius Claudius Caesar, emperor, high priest, holder of tribunician power for the 10th time, supreme commander, and father of the nation.
Transaltion: Rev: Senatus Populus Que Romanus Pater Patriae Ob Cives Servatos. The Senate and the roman people to the father of the nation, the savior of the citizens.
Notes: The reverse of this...denarius depicts the Corona Civica or “Civic Crown,” the second highest military decoration of the Republic, which took the form of a chaplet of oak leaves woven into a wreath. It was awarded to a citizen who had saved the lives of his fellow citizens by defeating or slaying an enemy of the state. The recipient was required to wear the wreath at any public gathering. Julius Caesar won the award for his actions during the Siege of Mytilene in 81 BC, which gained him immediate entry into the Senate. Augustus was voted the honor by the Senate for ending the destructive Roman civil wars. Caligula was granted the honor for “saving” Rome from the tyranny of Tiberius. Ironically, Claudius was bestowed the Corona Civica for saving Rome from the tyranny of Caligula-From CNGJustin L1
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Cn. Domitianus Ahenobarbus, Crawford 261/1Roman Republic, Cn. Domitianus Ahenobarbus, gens Domitia
AR - Denarius, 18.52mm, 3.88g
Rom, 128 BC
obv. Head of Roma, helmeted, r., star before, grain-ear behind
rev. Victory, holding whip, galloping in biga right, ROMA above, man spearing big
hound below horses, CN.DOM in ex.
Crawford 261/1; Sydenham 514; Domitia 14
VF/near VF, rev.slightly off center, dark old collection toning
Pedigree.
Ex Gorney & Mosch, auctions 155-157, Lot 2631
Sometimes the scene beneath the biga is interpreted as fight of a gladiator against a lion, but sometimes related to Bituitus, king of the Averni, who unleashed a pack of huge dogs against the Romans in his battles.
Jochen
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Cr 144/4 AE Quadrans o: head of Hercules right, clad in Nemean Lion's scalp, three pellets (mark of value) behind
r: prow of galley right, Victory flying right crowning LFP monogram with wreath above, three pellets (mark of value) before, ROMA below
Roman Republic, LFP monogram (L. Furius Philus?), 189 - 179 B.CBronze quadrans, Crawford 144/4, Sydenham 300c, SRCV I 1088, F, nice olive green patina, pitting on obverse, Rome mint, weight 7.513g, maximum diameter 22.3mm, die axis 180o, 189 - 179 B.C.; obverse head of Hercules right, clad in Nemean Lion's scalp, three pellets (mark of value) behind; reverse prow of galley right, Victory flying right crowning LFP monogram with wreath above, three pellets (mark of value) before, ROMA below; from the Andrew McCabe Collection; very rare;
Purchased from Forum Ancient CoinsPMah
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Cr 187/2 AE As Furia Roman Republic, Furius Purpurio, 169 - 158 B.C., Bronze as, Crawford 187/2, Sydenham 359, BMCRR II Italy 424, Russo RBW 798, SRCV I 705
Bronze as, Crawford 187/2, Sydenham 359, BMCRR II Italy 424, Russo RBW 798, SRCV I 705, gF, green and red patina, 19th century India ink collection mark, R.L. Furia" on reverse, weight 23.130g, maximum diameter 37.9mm, die axis 225o, Rome mint, 169 - 158 B.C.; obverse laureate and bearded head of Janus, I (mark of value) above; reverse prow right, PVR (ligate) above, I before, ROMA in exergue; big 37.9 mm bronze, from the Andrew McCabe Collection; scarce
Purchased from Forum Ancient CoinsPMah
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Cr 261/1 AR Denarius Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus 128 BCE. (20mm, 3.90 g, 6h). Rome mint.
o: Helmeted head of Roma right; grain stalk to left, mark of value below chin
r: Victory, holding reins and whip, driving biga right, ROMA above; below, man attacking lion with spear, CN. DOM in ex
Crawford 261/1; Sydenham 514; Domitia 14; RBW 1056.
The Domitii Ahenobarbi peaked early in the late Republic, with many a contentious character active at key moments.
The last to hold the name for long was Nero's father, conveniently dying in time for Nero's mother Agrippina to marry Claudius, who adopted young Domitius.
PMah
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Cr 298/1 AR Denarius Lucius Caesius 112-111 BCE. AR Denarius (20.4mm, 3.72 g, 1h). Rome mint.
O: Youthful, draped bust of Vejovis left, seen from behind, hurling thunderbolt; ROMA monogram to right
R: Two Lares seated right, each holding a staff; dog standing right between them, head of Vulcan and tongs above; L. CAESI
Crawford 298/1; Sydenham 564; Caesia 1
An unusual coin for this era of the Republic, particularly the bust seen over the shoulder. On the Rev, these are often cited as "Lares Praestites", guardians of the City of Rome. That makes sense as a coin, but that image is rare on coins and I (hope/think) some of the more local or personal lares are intended. The unusual obverse suggests that perhaps the reverse is equally creative and artistic.
PMah
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Cr 444/1a Q. Sicinius & C. Coponius AR Denarius49 b.c.e. Pompeian field mint [or Asian mint?]
o: Apollo hd. rt, III•VIR behind, star below, Q•SICINIVS before
r: Lionskin on Hercules's club, b/t arrow & bow; PR•S•C up lft, C•COPONIVS down rt
3.76gm , 18mm
Sear CRI 3; Sicinia 2
One of the first issues of the Pompeians after "tactically redeploying" completely out of Italy. There is some discrepancy in views as to whether this was a Greek field mint product or minted in Asia, due to some similarities of the lion to Asian issues (more below re lion).
Sicinius was one of the last regular moneyers appointed under the Republic, and probably went down with the rest of the gang. Coponius, as praetor, was likely far more important in finding / extracting the silver and resources for the issue.
Coponius was also adept at surviving, stepping clear of the wreckage of the Pompeian cause and returning to Rome in time to be .... proscribed. In that regard, he was also (how to put this delicately...) well-served, as we are informed by Appian: "The wife of Coponius obtained his safety by yielding herself to Antony, although she had previously been chaste, thus curing one evil with another." Civil Wars IV.vi.40.
Ah, the lion. Well, I have referred to this as the "Bill the Cat" reverse, although the RRC 1b variant with the head facing directly is even more suggestive of the famous feline. Think about it (or look it up) and you will, too. PMah
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Cr 494/36 C. Vibius Varus AR Denarius 42 b.c.e. Rome
o: Head of young Bacchus, wearing wreath of ivy and grapes, hair collected into a knot behind, one lock and fillet of wreath falling down his neck
r: Panther springing left toward garlanded altar surmounted by bacchic mask and thyrsus; C • VIBIVS in exergue, VARVS upward to right.
HCRI 192; Vibia 24
18mm, 4.02 gm, 6h
One of the more active and creative reverses among many in the late Republic, the panther and thyrsus are additional attributes of Bacchus. The specific ritual, if that is what is depicted, is not identified.
Among the group of moneyers who had the distinction of issuing a large variety of both gold and silver coins for the Second Triumvirate (see my Livineius, 494/29), Vibius also was permitted to issue personal family types, including this one, reflecting some themes on earlier coins of the Vibia gens. These personal types were soon to come to an end, as both Antonius and Octavian would soon take full control of the coinage in their spheres. Vibius fades into obscurity.
The particular attraction of this specimen, which is nice in many ways, is the very pleasing "cabinet" toning.
PMah
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Cr. 206/1, Republic, 150 BC, SafraSafra
AR Denarius, 150 BC, Rome
Obv.: Head of Roma right with winged helmet, X behind.
Rev.: SAFRA / ROMA, Victory in biga right holding reins in right hand and whip in left.
Ag, 19.5mm, 3.87g
Ref.: Crawford 206/1, Sydenham 388shanxi
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Cr. 2222/1, Republic, 143 BC, AnonymousAnonymous
AR Denarius, 143BC, Rome
Obv.: Head of Roma right with winged helmet, X behind
Rev.: Diana in biga of stags right holding torch, crescent below, ROMA in exergue
Ag, 17.9x19.5mm, 4.21g
Ref.: Crawford 222/1, Sydenham 438shanxi
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Cr. 237/1a, Republic, 136 BC, Cn. Lucretius Trio. Cn. Lucretius Trio.
AR Denarius, 136 BC, Rome
Obv: TRIO, Helmeted head of Roma right; X (mark of value) below chin.
Rev: CN LVCR / ROMA, The Dioscuri galloping right.
Ag, 17.4x19.6mm, 3.87g
Ref.: Crawford 237/1a. shanxi
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Cr. 242/1., Republic, 135 BC, C. Minucius AugurinusC. Minucius Augurinus
AR Denarius, 135 BC, Rome
Obv: Helmeted head of Roma right, below chin, X, behind, ROMA.
Rev: C•A – VG Ionic column surmounted by statue, holding staff in r. hand; on either side, togate figure. Togate figure on left holding loaves in both hands, togate figure on right holding lituus. Column decorated with forepart of lion on either side at the base and two bells at the top, grain ears behind each of the lions.
Ag, 18mm, 3.69g
Ref.: Sydenham 463, Crawford 242/1.
This column is the first architectural structure on a Roman coin (the first building comes 57 years later). It honors L. Minucius Augurinus, who, as prefect, introduced price controls on grain and thus fought a famine.shanxi
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Cr. 263/1a, Republic, 127 BC, M. Caecilius MetellusM. Caecilius Metellus
Denarius, 127 BC, Rome
Obv.: Helmeted head of Roma right, star on helmet, star below, ROMA upward behind.
Rev.: M.METELLVS.Q.F., Macedonian shield with elephant's head in central boss, surrounded by laurel wreath.
Ag, 3,90g, 18 mm
Ref.: Crawford 263/1a, Syd. 480.
Ex Lanz Numismatikshanxi
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Cr. 291/1, Republic, 114-113 BC, MN. AEMILIUS LEPIDUSMN. AEMILIUS LEPIDUS
AR Denar, Rome, 114-113 BC
Obv.: ROMA. Laureate, diademed, and draped bust of Roma right; mark of value to left.
Rev.: MAN AEMILIO / LEP, Equestrian statue right on aqueducts (Aqua Marcia ).
Ag, 3.84g, 20mm
Ref.: Crawford 291/1.
shanxi
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Cr. 296/1, Republic, 112 BC, Cn. Cornelius BlasioCn. Cornelius Blasio
Denar, Rome, 112 BC
Obv.: [CN. BLASIO] CN. F., helmeted head of Mars (Scipio Africanus??) right, star above
Rev.: ROMA, Jupiter, scepter in left, thunderbolt in right, between Juno and Minerva
Ag, 3.82g, 17mm
Ref.: Albert 1084, Sear 173, Crawford 296/1
Ex Lanz Numismatikshanxi
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Cr. 322/1b, Republic, 102 BC, C. FABIUS C. F. HADRIANUSC. FABIUS C. F. HADRIANUS
Denarius, 102 BC, Rome
Obv: EX A PV, Veiled and turreted head of Cybele right.
Rev: C FABI C F, Victory driving biga right, holding goad; stork before; control N. below.
Ag, 3.95g, 20mm
Ref.: Crawford 322/1b
Ex Pecunem Gitbud&Naumann auction 31, Lot 440
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Cr. 335/10a, Republic, late 90s BC, A. ALBINUS, Dioscuri, ApolloC. MALLEOLUS, A. ALBINUS SP. F. and L. CAECILIUS METELLUS.
Denarius (Late 90s BC). Rome.
Obv: ROMA, Laureate head of Apollo right; behind star; X (mark of value) below chin.
Rev: A ALBINVS S F, The Dioscuri standing left, each holding spear and wearing pilos surmounted by star, watering horses; crescent in left field.
Ag, 3.62g, 18mm
Ref.: Crawford 335/10a, RSC Postumia 5a
Ex Pecunem Gitbud&Naumann auction 31, Lot 441
Ex Roma Numismatics Limited, Auction 4, Lot 2634shanxi
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Cr. 342/3a, Republic, 90 BC, C. Vibius C.f. Pansa, Ceres, PigC. Vibius C.f. Pansa
AR Denarius, 90 BC, Rome
Obv.: PANSA, Laureate head of Apollo right, symbol below chin
Rev.: C VIBIVS C F, Ceres walking right, holding two torches, pig in front
Ag, 17.5mm, 3.99g
Ref.: Cr. 342/3a, Sear 241
Ex Münzhandlung Sonntag, Auction 22, #28shanxi
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Cr. 344/1a, Republic, 89 BC, L. Titurius L.f. SabinusL. Titurius L.f. Sabinus
AR Denarius, 89 BC, Rome
Obv: Head of Tatius right, SABIN behind, TA monogram before.
Rev: Two Roman soldiers, each carrying a Sabine woman in his arms, L TITVRI in exergue.
Ag, 3.83g, 18mm
Ref.: Crawford 344/1a, Sydenham 698, RSC Tituria 1.
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Cr. 344/2C, Republic, 150 BC, L. Titurius L.F. SabinusL. Titurius L.F. Sabinus
AR Denarius, 89 BC, Rome
Obv.: SABIN A PV, Head of King Tatius right, palm below chin
Rev.: Tarpeia facing between two soldiers, star and crescent
Ag, 17mm, 4g
Ref.: Crawford 344/2C, Sydenham 699a
Clashed dies. See the mirrored BIN from SABIN behind the leg of the right soldier
Ex E.E. Clain-Stefanelli Collectionshanxi
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Cr. 348/3, Republic, 87 BC, L. Rubrius DossenusL. Rubrius Dossenus
AR Denarius, 87 BC, Rome
Obv: Helmeted bust of Minerva right, wearing aegis; behind, DO[S].
Rev: Triumphal chariot with side panel decorated with eagle; above, Victory in chariot right. In exergue, L RVBR[I].
Ag, 17.5mm, 4.07g
Ref.: Sydenham 707, Crawford 348/3.
Ex E.E. Clain-Stefanelli Collectionshanxi
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Cr. 350A/2, Republic, 86 BC, AnonymousRepublic
Anonymous Denar, 86 BC. Rome
Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right, thunderbolt below
Rev: Jupiter, holding thunderbolt in right hand and reins in left, driving galloping quadriga right.
AR, 18mm, 3.66 g
Ref.: Crawford 350A/2; Sydenham 723; RSC 226; RBW 1333.shanxi
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Cr. 385/3, Republic, 75BC, M. Volteius M.F., Ceres, Snakes, RudderM. Volteius M.F.
AR Denarius, 75 BC
Obv.: Head of Liber right wearing wreath of ivy and grapes
Rev.: M. VOLTEI. M.F. in exergue, Ceres in biga right driven by two serpents; rudder behind.
Ag, 18mm, 3.9g
Ref.: Crawford 385/3, Sydenham 776, Volteia 3
Ex Lanz Numismatik
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Cr. 394/1a, Republic, 74BC, C. POSTUMIUSC. POSTUMIUS
Denarius, 74 BC, Rome
Obv.: Bust of Diana right, bow and quiver over shoulder.
Rev.: Hound running right, spear below, C. POSTVMI/TA ligate
Ag, 3.77g, 18.2mm
Ref.: Crawford 394/1a, Sydenham 785.shanxi
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Cr. 394/1a, Republic, 74BC, C. POSTUMIUS C. POSTUMIUS
Denarius, 74 BC, Rome
Obv.: Bust of Diana right, bow and quiver over shoulder.
Rev.: Hound running right, spear below, C. POSTVMI/TA ligate
Ag, 3.99g, 18.5mm
Ref.: Crawford 394/1a, Sydenham 785. shanxi
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Cr. 408/1a, Republic, 67BC, C Calpurnius Piso L F FrugiC Calpurnius Piso L F Frugi
Denarius, 67 BC, Rome
Obv.: Laureate head of Apollo right, wheel behind
Rev.: [C] PISO L F FRV, Horseman with palm, star above
Ag, 17mm, 3.89g
Ref.: Cr.408/1a, Syd.850f.
(scratches strongly enhanced by photo light)
Ex Numismatik Lanz, Auction 158, Lot 355
Ex Gorny & Mosch, Auction 225, Lot 1947
Ex Pecunem Gitbud&Naumann auction 29, Lot 505shanxi
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Cr. 416/1c, Republic, 62BC, Bonus Eventus, Scribonian wellL. Scribonius Libo
Denarius, 62 BC, Rome
Obv.: BON EVENT LIBO, Head of Bonus Eventus right
Rev.: PVTEAL SCRIBON, Puteal Scribonianum (Scribonian well), decorated with garland and two lyres, anvil at base.
Ag, 18x19 mm, 3.93 g
Ref.: Cr. 416/1c; Syd. 928
Ex Lanz Numismatikshanxi
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Cr. 433/1, Republic, 42 BC, M. Junius BrutusM. Junius Brutus
AR Denarius, 42BC, Rome
Obv.: LIBERTAS, Head of Libertas right.
Rev.: BRVTVS, Consul L. Junius Brutus walking left between two lictors, carrying fasces over shoulder; accensus to left.
Ag, 19mm, 3.87g
Ref.: Crawford 433/1
Ex Münzkabinett Heinrich
Ex Gitbud & Naumann, auction 39, lot 826shanxi
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Cr. 442/1a, Republic, 49 BC, Man. Acilius Glabrio Man. Acilius Glabrio
AR Denarius, 49 BC
Obv.: Laureate head of Salus right, SALVTIS upward behind.
Rev.: Valetudo standing left, leaning on column and holding snake, MN ACILIVS III VIR VALETV behind and before.
Ag, 3.79 g, 18 mm
Ref.: Crawford 442/1a. Sydenham 922. RSC Acilia 8 shanxi
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Cr. 494/23, Republic, 42 BC, P. Clodius M. f. Turrinus P. Clodius M. f. Turrinus
AR Denarius, 42 BC, Rome
Obv.: Laureate bust of Apollo right; lyre behind
Rev.: P•CLODIVS right; M•F• left, Diana standing facing, with bow and quiver over shoulder, holding lighted torch in each hand;
AR, 3,78 g, 20 mm.
Ref.: Sydenham 1117, Crawford 494/23, Babelon Clodia 14
Old collection label
Ex Lanz Numismatik shanxi
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Cr. 494/23, Republic, 42 BC, P. Clodius M. f. TurrinusP. Clodius M. f. Turrinus
AR Denarius, 42 BC, Rome
Obv.: Laureate bust of Apollo right; lyre behind
Rev.: P•CLODIVS right; M•F• left, Diana standing facing, with bow and quiver over shoulder, holding lighted torch in each hand;
AR, 3.92g
Ref.: Sydenham 1117, Crawford 494/23, Babelon Clodia 14
Ex Collection Reusing/Schürer
Ex Manfred Oldingshanxi
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Crawford 038/5, ROMAN REPUBLIC, Anonymous (Semilibral) Series, AE SextansRome, The Republic.
Anonymous (Semilibral) Series, 217-215 BCE.
AE Sextans (24.25g; 31mm).
Rome Mint.
Obverse: Mercury facing right wearing petasus; ●● (mark-of-value=2 unciae), behind.
Reverse: Prow right; ROMA above; ●● (mark-of-value=2 unciae), below.
References: Crawford. 38/5; Sydenham 85; BMCRR 59.
Provenance: Ex Burgan Numismatique Auction (17 Nov 2017), Lot 102; ex Etienne Page Auction, Hotel Drouot (1972).
The economic hardship imposed by Hannibal’s invasion led to a rapid decline in the weight of Roman bronze coins, resulting in the adoption of a semi-libral bronze standard (AE As of ½ Roman pound) and eventual elimination of cast coins. From 217-215, Rome produced two, contemporaneous series of struck bronzes on this new, semi-libral weight standard. From hoard evidence, we know the first of the two series was Crawford 38, consisting of “prow” types derived from the libral and semi-libral prow Aes Grave (Crawford 35 and 36) that preceded it. These coins were almost certainly produced in Rome and likely also in satellite military mints as needed. The second series of struck semi-libral bronzes was the enigmatic Crawford 39 series, with its unusual types (see them in this gallery), production of which commenced after the start of the 38 Series prow-types (hoards containing 39s almost always include 38s) and produced in much smaller numbers than the huge 38 Series. The Crawford 38 series of struck bronzes, to which the above coin belongs, consisted of only four denominations: sextans, uncia, semuncia and quartuncia. In addition, Aes Grave production continued on a semi-libral basis for the As, Semis, Triens and Quadrans. Those Aes Grave denominations would later be replaced with struck coins when the weight standard reduced even further.
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Crawford 039/1, ROMAN REPUBLIC, Collateral Semilibral Struck AE TriensRome. The Republic.
Semilibral Reduction, 217-215 BCE
Æ Triens (54 grams; 37 mm).
Uncertain Italian Mint.
Obverse: Head of Juno (?) right, wearing double-crested diadem, her hair tied in three ringlets down neck; scepter or sword over left shoulder (?); ●●●● (mark of value) behind.
Reverse: Hercules, naked but for lion skin, grasping centaur by hair and preparing to strike him with club; ●●●● (mark of value) before; ROMA in exergue.
References: Crawford 39/1; Sydenham 93 (R6); BMCRR (Romano-Campanian) 113-115.
Provenance: Ex Munzen und Medaillen 47 (1972), Lot 74.
Crawford dates his 39 series of collateral, semilibral struck bronzes to the early years of the Second Punic War, 217-215 BC. The economic hardship on Rome imposed by Hannibal’s invasion led to a rapid decline in the weight of Roman bronze coins, resulting in the adoption of a semi-libral bronze standard (AE As of ½ Roman pound) and eventual elimination of cast coins. Crawford deduces that Hannibal’s defeat of Rome at Trasimene in 217 B.C. likely tipped the financial scales to the semilibral reduction. He notes that Capua overstruck Roman coinage of the late semi-libral period when Capua joined with Hannibal in 216-215. Further, in Roman Republican Coin Hoards, Crawford reports that hoard #56, found at Capua in 1909, contained three trientes and four sextantes of the “collateral” series; thus the series must have circulated in Capua for a time before the town switched sides to Hannibal in 216-215. It appears that the standard, prow-type semilibral coins (Crawford 38) came first, because hoards containing the Crawford 39 coins almost always contain semilibral prow types as well.
The obverse of this Triens is particularly enigmatic. Both before, during and after production of this series, the goddess depicted on trientes was typically Minerva. In Roman iconography, Minerva’s attributes are the Corinthian helmet, aegis and spear. The goddess on this triens lacks the Corinthian helmet that was used to depict Minerva in previous Aes Grave series of libral and semilibral weight standard (See Crawford 35 and 38 Aes Grave) and on the subsequent, prow-type, struck trientes (Crawford 41 and 56). Some authors are non-committal as to the goddess’ identity (Crawford, for one, in his catalogue; though elsewhere in his text he refers to “Juno”); others attribute the goddess as Juno who, as Jupiter’s consort, is typically rendered with a diadem crown and scepter; and others believe the goddess is Bellona, a war goddess who is typically rendered with helmet and weapon. Firm identification depends, in part, on proper understanding of the headgear. I think attempts to call the headgear a “helmet” or “partial helmet” are misguided efforts to explain the crest. In my opinion, the headgear is a crested diadem. The odd crest attached to the end of the diadem is possibly a misinterpreted element borrowed from portraits of Tanit on Punic coinage, which always show Tanit with a stylized wheat leaf in this location (Tanit’s depiction was likely borrowed by the Carthaginians from Syracusan tetradrachms). There is also some confusion as to what the goddess holds over her left shoulder. Condition issues and poor strikes on some examples often eliminate this aspect of the design. Fortunately, my example is quite clear and one can see the shadowy image on the left shoulder which extends in straight-line behind the left side of the goddess’ head ending in a visible, rounded point above her head. Crawford may have thought the lower part of this element represented the goddess’ far-side curls (“hair falls in tight rolls onto BOTH shoulders” emphasis added), but this interpretation does not explain the point above her head. The point is not likely to represent the opposite crest, as the crest on the visible side does not extend above head-top level. A more plausible theory, proposed by both Grueber and Sydenham, is that the goddess is holding a scepter over her left shoulder, which is consistent with Juno’s attributes. Other possibilities are that she bears a spear, which is an attribute of Minerva, or a sword, which is an attribute of Bellona.
The Series 39 types and their relationship to contemporaneous Second Punic War events are interesting to ponder. Hercules is an important figure, appearing on two of the 10 available sides of the series. Likely this is a paradigm of Roman heroism during the War. In the myth depicted on this Triens, Hercules kills a centaur for assaulting his wife – is this an allegorical reference to Hannibal’s assault on Italy (and the likely response from Rome)?
Despite its beauty, this type would never again be repeated on a Roman coin. However, related imagery can be found on quincunxes of Capua and quadrantes of Larinum, Apulia, immediately following the defection of those towns to Hannibal’s side of the Second Punic War.
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Crawford 039/2, ROMAN REPUBLIC, Collateral Semilibral Struck AE QuadransRome, The Republic.
Semilibral Reduction, 217-215 BC
AE Struck Quadrans (37.12g; 33mm)
Obv: Youthful hd of Hercules in boarskin r; three pellets (mark of value=3 unciae) behind
Rev: Bull leaping right, snake below; three pellets (mark of value = 3 unciae) above; ROMA below
Reference: Crawford 39/2; Sydenham 94
Provenance: Dr. W. Neussel Sen. (d. Dec. 1975) Collection [Peus Auction 420/421 (1 Nov 2017), Lot 65]
This coin is part of a short-lived series struck collateral to the standard prow types (Crawford 38) in 217-215 BC. The economic hardship on Rome imposed by Hannibal’s invasion led to a rapid decline in the weight of Roman bronze coins, resulting in the adoption of a semi-libral bronze standard (AE As of ½ Roman pound) and eventual elimination of cast coins. The Series 39 types and their relationship to contemporaneous Second Punic War events are interesting to ponder. Hercules is an important figure, appearing on two of the 10 available sides of the series. Likely this is a paradigm of Roman stregnth and heroism during the War. While Crawford attributes the 39 series to the Rome mint, I believe the types and fabric of the coins are inconsistent with the contemporaneous, Crawford 38 prow types which are also attributed to Rome.
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Crawford 039/2, ROMAN REPUBLIC, Collateral Semilibral Struck AE QuadransRome, The Republic.
Anonymous, Semilibral Reduction, 217-215 BCE.
AE Struck Quadrans (38.77g; 31mm).
Uncertain Italian Mint.
Obverse: Youthful head of Hercules in boarskin headdress, facing right; three pellets (mark of value=3 unciae) behind.
Reverse: Bull leaping right, snake below; three pellets (mark of value = 3 unciae) above; ROMA below.
Reference: Crawford 39/2; Sydenham 94; BMCRR (Romano-Campanian) 116.
Provenance: Ex SKA/Credit Suisse (Bern) 7 (27-29 Apr 1987), Lot 656; Dr. Busso Peus Auction 300 (28 Oct 1980), Lot 206; Munz Zentrum Auktion XXX (21 Nov 1977) Lot 76; Signorelli Collection.
This coin is part of a short-lived, semi-libral series, struck collateral to the standard prow types (Crawford 38) in 217-215 BC. The economic hardship on Rome imposed by Hannibal’s invasion led to a rapid decline in the weight of Roman bronze coins, resulting in the adoption of a semi-libral bronze standard (AE As of ½ Roman pound) and eventual elimination of cast coins. The Series 39 types and their relationship to contemporaneous Second Punic War events are interesting to ponder. Hercules is an important figure, appearing on two of the 10 available sides of the series. Likely this is a paradigm of Roman strength and heroism during the War. While Crawford attributes this series to the Rome mint, I believe the types and fabric of the coins are inconsistent with the contemporaneous, Crawford 38 prow types which are also attributed to Rome.
Frequent visitors to my gallery may notice that this coin is a duplicate of a coin already in my collection. Indeed, I recently chose to upgrade my original specimen (viewable here: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-143993 ) with this companion. The type is difficult to find as well preserved as this specimen, so when I saw this coin, I snatched it up. For now, I’ll keep them both. The pair illustrates the general fabric of this series – well made, conical flans, likely produced in open moulds; flat fields (struck from flat-planed dies); and generally low relief.
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Crawford 039/3, ROMAN REPUBLIC, Collateral Semilibral Struck AE SextansRome. The Republic.
Semilibral Reduction, 217-215 BCE.
Æ Sextans (24.15 grams; 30 mm).
Uncertain Italian Mint.
She-wolf facing right, head turned left, suckling the twins, Romulus & Remus; ●● (mark-of-value) below.
Reverse: Eagle facing right with flower in beak; ROMA to right; ●● (mark-of-value) behind.
References: Crawford 39/3; Sydenham 95; BMCRR (Romano-Campanian) 120-124.
Provenance: Ex Goldberg 87 (15 Sep 2015), Lot 2084; Sternberg XXII (20-21 Nov 1989), Lot 173.
Crawford attributes the 39 series to the Rome Mint, circa 217-215 BCE. While I agree with the dating, I question the mint attribution. They are among the earliest Roman struck bronze coins intended for use in central Italy. Previously, Roman struck bronzes were generally intended for use in Magna Graecia, while the cast bronze Aes Grave were used in Rome and central Italy.
The types in this series are beautiful, bold and unusual, and, excluding the Hercules/bull Quadrans type, were never wholly repeated in subsequent Roman Republican bronze series. The types are entirely pro-Roman, at a time that the Republic was in dire straits under threat of Hannibal’s invasion. This Sextans depicts the favorable founding of Rome, with the She-wolf suckling the City’s mythical founders, Romulus and Remus, on one side, and a powerful eagle bringing them additional nourishment or good omen on the other. This is the first depiction of the Wolf and Twins on a Roman bronze coin, the scene previously being depicted on a silver didrachm circa 269 BCE (Crawford 20/1).
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Crawford 039/3, ROMAN REPUBLIC, Collateral Semilibral Struck AE SextansRome, The Republic.
Anonymous (Semilibral) Series, 217-215 BCE.
AE Sextans (25.91g; 29mm).
Uncertain Italian Mint.
Obverse: She-wolf facing right, head turned left, suckling the twins, Romulus & Remus; ●● (mark-of-value) below.
Reverse: Eagle facing right with flower in beak; ROMA to right; ●● (mark-of-value) behind.
References: Crawford 39/3; Sydenham 95; BMCRR (Romano-Campanian) 120-124; RBW 107.
Provenance: Ex Reinhold Faelton Collection [Stack's (20-2 Jan 1938) Lot 923]; Otto Helbing Auction (24 Oct 1927) Lot 3267.
The economic hardship imposed by Hannibal’s invasion led to a rapid decline in the weight of Roman bronze coins, resulting in the adoption of a semi-libral bronze standard (AE As of ½ Roman pound) and eventual elimination of cast coins. From 217-215, Rome produced two, contemporaneous series of struck bronzes on this new, semi-libral weight standard. From hoard evidence, we know the first of the two series was Crawford 38, consisting of “prow” types derived from the libral and semi-libral prow Aes Grave (Crawford 35 and 36) that preceded it. These "prow" coins were almost certainly produced in Rome and likely also in satellite military mints as needed. The second series of struck semi-libral bronzes was the enigmatic Crawford 39 series, with its unusual types, production of which commenced after the start of the 38 Series prow-types (hoards containing 39s almost always include 38s) and produced in much smaller numbers than the huge 38 Series.
The types on the Crawford 39 series are entirely pro-Roman, at a time that the Republic was in dire straits under threat of Hannibal’s invasion. This Sextans depicts the favorable founding of Rome, with the She-wolf suckling the City’s mythical founders, Romulus and Remus, on one side, and a powerful eagle bringing them additional nourishment or good omen on the other. This is the first depiction of the Wolf and Twins on a Roman bronze coin, the scene previously being depicted on a silver didrachm circa 269 BCE (Crawford 20/1).
Reinhold Faelton (1856 - 1949) was a musician, composer, the Dean and founder in 1897 of the Faelton Pianoforte School of Boston, Massachusetts, and a coin collector for over 50 years. His collection of ancient coins was sold by Stacks in January 1938. This Stack's catalogue was one of the earliest to feature photographs of actual ancient coins in the plates, rather than photos of plaster casts of the coins (which was the standard at the time). The resulting plates were mixed-quality but mostly poor, making it an arduous task to use this catalogue for provenance matching.
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Crawford 039/4, ROMAN REPUBLIC, Collateral Semilibral Struck AE UnciaRome, The Republic.
Semilibral Reduction, 217-215 BC.
AE Struck Uncia (10.88g; 24mm).
Uncertain Mint.
Obverse: Facing draped bust of Sol; pellet (mark of value) to left.
Reverse: Crescent, two stars and pellet (mark of value) above; ROMA below.
References: Crawford 39/4; Sydenham 96; BMCRR (Romano-Campanian) 125-135.
Provenance: Triskeles 5 (27 June 2013), Lot 95; ex RBW Collection (not in prior sales); purchased privately from Ed Waddell in 1994.
This coin is part of a short-lived, collateral series struck contemporaneously with the standard prow types (Crawford 38) in 217-215 BC. The economic hardship on Rome imposed by Hannibal’s invasion led to a rapid decline in the weight of Roman bronze coins, resulting in the adoption of a semi-libral bronze standard (AE As of ½ Roman pound) and eventual elimination of cast coins.
In attributing the 39 series to the Rome mint, Crawford relied on the earlier analysis of Rudy Thomsen in “Early Roman Coins”. However, Thomsen’s analysis of the hoard evidence was flawed, in my opinion, because he included temple deposits north of Rome which deceptively widened the apparent circulation dispersal of this collateral series. Eliminating these temple deposits shows a clearer circulation focus south of Rome, in Campania. Also, the types and fabric of the coins are inconsistent with the contemporaneous, Crawford 38 prow types which are similarly attributed to Rome (and which do have Roman prototypes in the prow series Aes Grave). However, some of the unusual collateral types are copied by Campanian towns after their defection to Hannibal. Further study is needed.
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